Word forms: plural judgment callsregional note: in BRIT, also use judgement call
countable noun
If you refer to a decision as a judgment call, you mean that there are no firm rules or principles that can help you make it, so you simply have to rely on your own judgement and instinct.
Well, physicians make judgment calls every day.
judgment call in British English
(ˈdʒʌdʒmənt kɔːl)
noun
1. sport
an official decision made during a sporting event by an umpire, referee etc, based on their own perception of events, when there is no other way of measuring them objectively
That's a judgment call on a play where the goaltender is outside the crease.
2.
a decision that you have to make using your own sense of what is the best thing to do, because there is no right or wrong answer
They made a judgment call to continue with the interview despite a direct order tostop it.
Don't trust yourself to make a judgment call when you're drunk.
It's a judgment call whether it was even necessary to put this information out.
judgment call in American English
a ruling or decision on a matter that is, typically, not straightforward but that depends upon the judgment or evaluation of someone, as an umpire
Examples of 'judgment call' in a sentence
judgment call
Which umpires will dare make difficult judgment calls on sensitive issues?
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Where do you have to make the tough judgment calls?
Christianity Today (2000)
Do you make the right judgment call?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
America encourages its people to make judgment calls.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
I think you have to make a judgment call on these things.
The Sun (2011)
One of the biggest instinctive judgment calls you make in a racing car is when to brake for the first corner of the first lap.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
I think it's far too early to make that judgment call.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
I don't make that judgment call though.
The Sun (2015)
The process of building up contacts within a hostile network requires agents to take risks and make judgment calls, which must then be checked by their superiors.