Effect — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /i-ˈfekt/ ef·fect

Meaning & Definition of Effect

Effect (noun)

  1. something that inevitably follows an antecedent (such as a cause or agent), result, outcome
  2. a distinctive impression
  3. the creation of a desired impression

Effect (verb)

  1. to succeed in doing or achieving (something), to cause or bring about (something), accomplish
  2. to put into operation

Effect (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a condition or occurrence traceable to a cause

    "better health is always one of the effects of improved hygiene"

    similar: aftereffect, aftermath, backwash, child, conclusion, consequence, corollary, development, fate, fruit, issue, outcome, outgrowth, precipitate, product, result, resultant, sequel, sequence, upshot, matter of course
    related: ramification, denouement, echo, implication, repercussion, afterclap, afterglow, aftershock, blowback, by-product, fallout, offshoot, ripple, side effect, spin-off
    opposite: antecedent, causation, cause, occasion, reason
    near: consideration, determinant, factor, base, basis, foundation, ground, groundwork, impetus, incentive, inspiration, instigation, stimulus, mother, origin, root, source, spring

  2. the power to bring about a result on another

    "religion has a profound effect on our lives"

    similar: impact, influence, mark, repercussion, sway
    related: authority, clout, prestige, pull, weight, command, domination, dominion, mastery, consequence, importance, significance, sovereignty, supremacy
    near: helplessness, impotence, impotency, powerlessness, weakness

  3. transportable items that one owns

    "the family packed up its household effects and moved to Florida"

    similar: belongings, chattels, duds, gear, goods, holdings, movables, paraphernalia, personal effects, personal property, personalty, plunder (chiefly dialect), possession, stuff, things
    related: treasures, valuables, appointments, fixtures, furnishings, estate, property, tangibles, collateral
    near: immovables, real estate

Effect (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to be the cause of (a situation, action, or state of mind)

    "classroom presentations designed to effect greater interest in careers in scientific fields"

    similar: beget, breed, bring, bring about, bring on, catalyze, cause, create, do, draw on, effectuate, engender, generate, induce, invoke, make, occasion, produce, prompt, result (in), spawn, translate (into), work, yield, bring forth, give rise to
    related: conduce (to), contribute (to), decide, determine, begin, establish, father, found, inaugurate, initiate, innovate, institute, introduce, launch, pioneer, set, set up, start, advance, cultivate, develop, encourage, forward, foster, further, nourish, nurture, promote, enact, render, turn out
    near: impede, limit, restrict, clamp down (on), crack down (on), crush, dampen, put down, quash, quell, repress, smother, squash, squelch, stifle, subdue, suppress, arrest, check, control, curb, inhibit, rein (in), restrain, retard, can (slang), kill, snuff (out), still, abolish, demolish, destroy, extinguish, liquidate, quench

Related Entry: Take effect (phrase)

Take effect is a different word from Effect. The synonyms below are for take effect, not for effect.

  1. to produce a desired effect

    "You'll feel better once the medication takes effect."

    similar: act, operate, perform, take, work, take hold
    related: behave, react, respond, affect, influence, sway, pan out, redound, result
    near: backfire, fizzle

Related Entry: Side effect (noun)

Side effect is a different word from Effect. The synonyms below are for side effect, not for effect.

  1. as in ramification, aftereffect

    similar: aftereffect, ramification, complexity, complicacy, complication, convolution, difficulty, intricacy, subtlety, technicality, annoyance, bitch, bother, headache, inconvenience, matter, trouble

Related Entry: Taken effect (phrase)

Taken effect is a different word from Effect. The synonyms below are for taken effect, not for effect.

  1. to produce a desired effect

    "You'll feel better once the medication takes effect."

    similar: acted, operated, performed, taken, worked, taken hold
    related: behaved, reacted, responded, affected, influenced, swayed, panned out, redounded, resulted
    near: backfired, fizzled

Related Entry: Took effect (phrase)

Took effect is a different word from Effect. The synonyms below are for took effect, not for effect.

  1. to produce a desired effect

    "You'll feel better once the medication takes effect."

    similar: acted, operated, performed, took, worked, took hold
    related: behaved, reacted, responded, affected, influenced, swayed, panned out, redounded, resulted
    near: backfired, fizzled

Related Entry: Takes effect (phrase)

Takes effect is a different word from Effect. The synonyms below are for takes effect, not for effect.

  1. to produce a desired effect

    "You'll feel better once the medication takes effect."

    similar: acts, operates, performs, takes, works, takes hold
    related: behaves, reacts, responds, affects, influences, sways, pans out, redounds, results
    near: backfires, fizzles

Related Entry: Taking effect (phrase)

Taking effect is a different word from Effect. The synonyms below are for taking effect, not for effect.

  1. to produce a desired effect

    "You'll feel better once the medication takes effect."

    similar: acting, operating, performing, taking, working, taking hold
    related: behaving, reacting, responding, affecting, influencing, swaying, panning out, redounding, resulting
    near: backfiring, fizzling

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Effect

The most common words with a similar meaning to Effect:

Chiefly dialect: plunder
aftereffect, aftermath, backwash, child, conclusion, consequence, corollary, development, fate, fruit, issue, outcome, outgrowth, precipitate, product, result, resultant, sequel, sequence, upshot, impact, influence, mark, repercussion, sway, belongings, chattels, duds, gear, goods, holdings, movables, paraphernalia, personal effects, personal property, personalty, possession, stuff, things, matter of course

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Effect

Words with the opposite meaning of Effect:

antecedent, causation, cause, occasion, reason

Related Words for Effect

ramification, denouement, echo, implication, afterclap, afterglow, aftershock, blowback, by-product, fallout, offshoot, ripple, side effect, spin-off, authority, clout, prestige, pull, weight, command, domination, dominion, mastery, importance, significance, sovereignty, supremacy, treasures, valuables, appointments

Near Antonyms of Effect

consideration, determinant, factor, base, basis, foundation, ground, groundwork, impetus, incentive, inspiration, instigation, stimulus, mother, origin, root, source, spring, helplessness, impotence, impotency, powerlessness, weakness, immovables, real estate, impede, limit, restrict, clamp down (on), crack down (on)

Word Forms of Effect

Inflections: effects, effected, effecting

Origin & Etymology of Effect

Middle English effect, effete "achievement, result, capacity to produce a result, gist, purpose," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French effette, effect, borrowed from Latin effectus "carrying out (of a purpose or task), result, mode of operation," from effec-, variant stem of efficere "to make, construct, bring about, produce, carry out" (from ef-, assimilated form of ex- ex-:1 + facere "to do, make, bring about") + -tus, suffix of action nouns fact

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Effect

Words & Phrases Containing Effect

Auger effect, bandwagon effect, Bohr effect, butterfly effect, cause and effect, Coriolis effect, domino effect, Doppler effect

Frequently Asked Questions about Effect

What does "Effect" mean?

"Effect" means something that inevitably follows an antecedent (such as a cause or agent), result, outcome. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: something that inevitably follows an antecedent (such as a cause or agent), result, outcome. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Effect"?

Other words for "Effect" include aftereffect, aftermath, backwash, child, conclusion, consequence, corollary and development. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Effect" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Effect"?

There are 134 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Effect". Common alternatives include aftereffect, aftermath, backwash, child, conclusion, consequence, corollary, development, fate and fruit.

What is the opposite of "Effect"?

Antonyms of "Effect" include antecedent, causation, cause, occasion and reason. Near antonyms include consideration, determinant, factor and base.

How do you use "Effect" in a sentence?

Examples of "Effect" in a sentence: "better health is always one of the effects of improved hygiene"; "religion has a profound effect on our lives"; "the family packed up its household effects and moved to Florida".

Is "Effect" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Effect" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Effect" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A2-level word, "Effect" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.

How do you pronounce "Effect"?

"Effect" is pronounced /i-ˈfekt/ and divided into syllables as ef·fect.