effect
[noun]
Synonyms:
- result, conclusion, consequence, end result, event, outcome, upshot
- operation, action, enforcement, execution, force, implementation
- impression, essence, impact, sense, significance, tenor
[verb]
Synonyms:
- bring about, accomplish, achieve, complete, execute, fulfil, perform, produce

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Antonyms: cause
Contrasted words: antecedent, determinant, occasion, reason, base, basis, foundation, ground, groundwork, impede, limit, restrict, repress, suppress, fail, fall down
Related Words: pursuance, development, fruit, outgrowth, ramification, denouement, repercussion, conclusion, end, side effect, backlash, backwash, recoil, reflex, response, aftereffect, aftermath, conceive, create, generate, bring on, induce, enact, render, turn out, yield, actualize, realize, achieve, procure

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English Thesaurus: effect, impact, influence, side effect, after-effects, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. ef‧fect¹ S1 W1 /ɪˈfekt/ noun
[Word Family: noun: effect, effectiveness ≠ ineffectiveness; adjective: effective ≠ ineffective, effectual ≠ ineffectual; verb: effect; adverb: effectively ≠ ineffectively]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin effectus, past participle of efficere 'to cause to happen']

1. CHANGE/RESULT [uncountable and countable] a change that is caused by an event, action etc
effect on
My parents’ divorce had a big effect on me.
effect of
the harmful effects of modern farming practices
the long-term effects of the drug
I could feel the effects of the thin mountain air.
This ingredient also has the effect of making your skin look younger.
A system failure has a knock-on effect throughout the whole hotel.
the cumulative effect of human activities on the global environment
A much lower dose of the painkiller can still produce the desired effect.
In mental illness, there is a complex relationship between cause and effect. ⇒ greenhouse effect, side effect
► Do not confuse with the verb affect (=to have an effect on something).

2. put/bring something into effect to make a plan or idea happen:
It won’t be easy to put the changes into effect.

3. take effect to start to produce results:
The morphine was starting to take effect and the pain eased.

4. LAW/RULE
a) take effect/come into effect if a law, rule, or system takes effect or comes into effect, it officially starts
b) be in effect if a law, rule, or system is in effect, it is being used now

5. with immediate effect/with effect from formal starting to happen immediately, or from a particular date:
Hoskins is appointed manager, with immediate effect.

6. in effect used when you are describing what you see as the real facts of a situation Synonym : effectively:
In effect, we’ll be earning less than we were last year.

7. to good/great/no etc effect used to show how successful an action is:
We tried to wake him, but to no effect.

8. to this/that/the effect used when you are giving the general meaning of something, rather than the exact words:
Jim told me to go away, or words to that effect.
The letter said something to the effect that she was no longer needed.

9. IDEA/FEELING [countable usually singular] an idea or feeling that an artist, speaker, book etc tries to make you think of or to feel Synonym : impression
effect of
Turner’s paintings give an effect of light.

10. for effect if someone does something for effect, they do it in order to make people notice:
She paused for effect, then carried on speaking.

11. PERSONAL POSSESSIONS effects [plural] formal the things that someone owns Synonym : belongings:
Don’s few personal effects were in a suitcase under the bed.

12. FILM [countable usually plural] an unusual or impressive sound or image that is artificially produced for a film, play, or radio programme
⇒ sound effects, special effect

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. effect² verb [transitive]
[Word Family: noun: effect, effectiveness ≠ ineffectiveness; adjective: effective ≠ ineffective, effectual ≠ ineffectual; verb: effect; adverb: effectively ≠ ineffectively]
formal to make something happen Synonym : bring about:
Many parents lack confidence in their ability to effect change in their children’s behaviour.
► Do not confuse with the verb affect (=to have an effect on something).

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

effect
noun
I. change that is caused by sth
ADJ. decisive, dramatic, far-reaching, important, marked, powerful, profound, significant, strong | marginal, minimal, modest, negligible | chief, main, major, principal | full The full effects of the new tax have not yet been felt.
apparent, appreciable, detectable, discernible, measurable, noticeable, visible | likely, possible, potential, predictable, probable | subtle | disproportionate | residual | adverse, catastrophic, crippling, damaging, debilitating, deleterious, destructive, detrimental, devastating, disastrous, harmful, ill, negative, serious, traumatic, undesirable, unfortunate the crippling effect of sanctions on the economy He didn't seem to have suffered any ill effects from his fall.
beneficial, positive, salutary | the desired We had problems with mosquitoes, but this spray had the desired effect.
magical, remarkable Giving up smoking had a magical effect on his stamina.
immediate | direct, indirect | short-term | lasting, long-term, permanent | domino, knock-on, ripple, spin-off Any delay in delivery of materials will have a knock-on effect throughout the production process. (see also side effect) | practical | aggregate, combined, cumulative, net, overall | qualitative, quantitative | cohesive | divisive | deterrent, disincentive The deterrent effect of the death penalty has long been questioned. Heavy taxation has a disincentive effect.
calming, hypnotic, soothing, soporific | curative, restorative, therapeutic | placebo | inflationary | corrosive | greenhouse policies to reduce emissions of gases which cause the greenhouse effect
VERB + EFFECT bring about, exert, have, produce The drug exerts a powerful effect on the brain.
take The medicine started to take effect after a few minutes.
feel, experience, suffer (from) Women feel the effects of alcohol more quickly than men.
recover from | observe | show | assess, determine, estimate, examine, measure, study | ameliorate, cushion, lessen, minimize, mitigate, reduce, soften to minimize the effects of economic change
cancel out | counter, counteract, offset | compound, magnify, maximize | avoid | aim at That is precisely the effect I was aiming at.
be worried about, fear | underestimate | ignore
EFFECT + VERB spread | last | wear off How soon will the effects of the drug wear off?
PREP. in ~ The border closure meant, in effect, that no trade took place between the countries.
to this/that ~ They told us to go away, or words to that effect.
with … ~ The plague struck London again with devastating effect.
~ on/upon The dry weather had an adverse effect on the potato crops.
PHRASES cause and effect key historical concepts such as cause and effect
to little/no effect The air-conditioning came on, to little effect.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

effect
II. use of an official rule/plan, etc.
ADJ. immediate
VERB + EFFECT come into The new regulations come into effect next month.
bring sth into, put sth into The recommendations will soon be put into effect.
PREP. in ~ Some laws from the eighteenth century are still in effect.
with ~ The bank has cut interest rates with immediate effect.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

effect
III. impression that a speaker/book/film, etc. gives
ADJ. dramatic, startling, striking, stunning | maximum, optimum | the desired I found that by adding white I could achieve the desired effect.
overall The overall effect of the painting is overwhelming.
VERB + EFFECT give (sth), have The stage lighting gives the effect of a moonlit scene.
achieve, create | enhance, heighten The dramatic effect was heightened by her black dress and dead white face.
mar, spoil
PREP. for … ~ ‘You know why I'm here?’ Doug paused for maximum effect.
to … ~ She uses animal sounds to startling effect in her music.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

effect
IV. techniques used when making sth
ADJ. special | cinematic | audio, sound | optical, visual | lighting | elaborate | digital

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

effect

have an effect on something/somebody
Eating junk food will eventually have an effect on your health.
have the effect of doing something
The news had the effect of making everyone feel better.
produce an effect formal
If we combine these sounds, they produce an effect that is almost jazzy.
feel an effect (=notice it)
Small companies will feel the effect of the recession first.
lessen/reduce an effect (=make an effect smaller or less severe)
The government must take action to reduce the effects of pollution.
cushion the effect of something (=make it less bad)
Lower mortgage rates will cushion the effect of rising house prices.
an effect lasts (=continues)
The effect of the drug lasts about six hours.
an effect wears off (=gradually stops)
The effect of the anaesthetic was beginning to wear off.
big/major
The teachers’ strike had a big effect on many schools.
significant/substantial/marked (=quite big)
Global warming could have a significant effect on agriculture in many parts of the world.
profound/powerful (=very big, in a way that changes someone or something significantly )
My father’s death had a profound effect on me.
dramatic (=very big and sudden)
Taking the new drug had a dramatic effect on his health.
small
The drugs have a relatively small effect on a lot of patients.
negligible/minimal formal (=very small)
The advertising campaign had a negligible effect on demand.
immediate (=quick and sudden)
The announcement had an immediate effect on stock prices.
good
Inflation can sometimes have some good effects on the economy.
positive/beneficial (=good, or helping someone or something in some way)
The incident had a very positive effect on his career.
bad
Working too hard was beginning to have a bad effect on my health.
negative/detrimental (=bad or harmful)
the negative effects of low rainfall
harmful/damaging (=causing harm or damage to something or someone)
the harmful effects of drinking too much alcohol
Some of the effects can be quite damaging.
visible/noticeable (=an effect that you can clearly see)
He drank five beers, but they did not seem to have any visible effect on him.
the adverse effects formal (=the bad effects)
No one told them about the adverse effects of smoking marijuana.
the long-term/short-term effect (=having an effect for a long or short time)
Many boxers suffer with the long-term effects of punches to the head.
a knock-on effect (=an effect that is caused by something that has happened before)
The strike could have a knock-on effect at other airports.
a cumulative effect (=the effect of many things happening one after the other)
The cumulative effect of these policies will be to push up inflation.
the desired effect (=the effect you want)
His team talk had the desired effect because the team went on to win the game.
the full effect (=the whole effect)
We won’t know the full effect of the tax changes until the end of the financial year.
a calming/soothing effect (=one that makes you feel less angry, excited, or nervous)
His words seemed to have a calming effect on the crowd.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

effect
I.
verb
BAD: I thought that the long illness would effect my chances of passing the exam.
GOOD: I thought that the long illness would affect my chances of passing the exam.

Usage Note:
affect sth (verb) = have an effect on sth (noun)
Compare: 'There is no doubt that smoking affects people's health.' 'There is no doubt that smoking has an effect on people's health.'
When used as a verb, effect means 'bring about': 'The new president effected several major changes.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

effect
II.
noun
BAD: Many women stop smoking during pregnancy because of the effects to the baby.
GOOD: Many women stop smoking during pregnancy because of the effects on the baby.

Usage Note:
effect on sb/sth : 'These rays can have a harmful effect on the skin.'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

effect a change that is caused by an event, action etc:
The people in this area are still suffering from the effects of the famine.
The treatment had little or no effect.
impact an effect that happens as a result of something important, especially a big and permanent effect:
Changes in technology have had a massive impact on the way we work.
the environmental impact of industrial activity
influence the effect that something has on people’s opinions or behaviour, or on how something develops:
American television has had a big influence on popular culture in the west.
His ideas had a lot of influence at the time.
side effect an unwanted and unplanned effect that something has – used especially about drugs and medical treatment:
Common side effects of the drug may include headaches and muscle pains.
after-effects British English, aftereffects American English bad effects that continue for a long time after the thing that caused them:
A traumatic experience can have severe psychological after-effects.
the after-effects of the war
repercussions /ˌriːpəˈkʌʃəns $ -pər-// the effects that happen later as a result of an event or decision, especially a range of effects that continue for a long time:
The scandal could have serious repercussions for her career.
The judge’s decision is likely to have important repercussions for future cases of this kind.
a knock-on effect British English used when something has an effect on something, which then has an effect on something else:
Higher oil prices have a knock-on effect on other fuels.
footprint the effect that human activities have on the environment, caused by using up its natural resources, pollution, waste etc:
Businesses all over the world must attempt to reduce their environmental footprint.
The house has a low carbon footprint (=it uses very little energy from carbon and therefore is good for the environment).
persuade to make someone decide to do something, especially by giving them reasons why they should do it, or asking them many times to do it:
I persuaded her to change her mind.
Do you think you can persuade him to lend us the money?
talk somebody into (doing) something to persuade someone to do something, especially something they do not really want to do:
Why did I let you talk me into this?
He finally talked her into going on a date with him.
get somebody to do something to make someone do something by persuading or asking them:
If we can’t get a taxi I’ll get Joe to pick us up.
I know how to get you to kiss me.
convince to persuade someone that they should do something, because it is the best or the right thing to do. Some British speakers think this use is incorrect, and prefer to use persuade:
It would be difficult to convince him to move.
encourage to try to persuade someone to do something, especially because you think it will be good for them:
Children should be encouraged to read all kinds of books.
coax to persuade someone to do something by talking gently and kindly:
I tried to coax him to eat a little.
cajole /kəˈdʒəʊl $ -ˈdʒoʊl/ to persuade someone to do something by praising them or making promises to them:
He hoped to cajole her into selling her house.
put somebody up to something to persuade or encourage someone to do something wrong or stupid:
Who put you up to this?
dissuade formal to persuade someone not to do something:
How do you dissuade young people from experimenting with drugs?

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

effect
ɪˈfekt
See: in effect , into effect , sound effects , take effect , to that effect , to the effect that

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲