determining factor

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	determining factor - a determining or causal element or factor; "education is an important determinant of one's outlook on life"causal factor, determinant, determinative, determinercognitive factor - something immaterial (as a circumstance or influence) that contributes to producing a resultdecisive factor, clincher - a point or fact or remark that settles something conclusivelyinfluence - a cognitive factor that tends to have an effect on what you do; "her wishes had a great influence on his thinking"
	2.	determining factor - an argument that is conclusiveclincher, determinerargument, statement - a fact or assertion offered as evidence that something is true; "it was a strong argument that his hypothesis was true"