Definitions
01a result
A2 · Elementary Countable noun
n. a change or result that is caused by something else.
n. a change which is a result or consequence of an action or other cause.
Español:efecto
“The new law had a positive effect on the local economy.”
“Scientists are still studying the long-term effects of microplastics on marine ecosystems and the broader food chain.”
Usage
Commonly used with the preposition 'on'.
Pitfall
The medicine had a good affect on me.
The medicine had a good effect on me.
Use 'effect' as a noun for the result, and 'affect' as a verb for the action of changing something.
Synonyms
02an influence
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. the power to influence someone's feelings or thoughts.
n. the power to produce an outcome or achieve a particular impression on the mind.
“The soft music had a calming effect on the crying baby.”
“The speaker's words had a profound effect on the audience, inspiring many to volunteer for the charity immediately.”
Synonyms
03in operation
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Law Formal
n. the state of being active or in use, like a rule or a law.
n. the state of being operative or in force; often used in the phrases 'in effect' or 'to take effect'.
“The new tax rules will take effect from the start of next year.”
“Although the policy is technically active, it has had little practical effect on the daily operations of the department.”
Usage
Often follows the verbs 'take' or 'come into'.
Synonyms
04visual/sound tricks
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. an illusion created for a movie or a song using technology.
n. an illusion produced by technical means, such as sound manipulation or computer-generated imagery.
“The special effects in the space movie looked incredibly realistic.”
“The sound engineer added a reverb effect to the vocals to give the track a more ethereal and spacious quality.”
Synonyms
05personal belongings
C1 · Advanced Plural noun Formal
n. the things that you own and carry with you.
n. personal property or belongings; almost exclusively used in the plural form.
Español:pertenencias
“The hotel staff returned all his personal effects after he left them in the room.”
“The insurance policy covers the loss of personal effects while traveling, provided they are kept in a secure location.”
Usage
Usually appears as the fixed phrase 'personal effects'.
Synonyms
06to bring about
C1 · Advanced Formal · Academic
v. to make something happen, especially a change.
v. to cause something to happen; to bring about or implement a result.
“The new director hopes to effect significant changes within the company.”
“The protesters argued that only a complete overhaul of the system could effect the social justice they demanded.”
Usage
This is a transitive verb that usually takes 'change' or 'reforms' as an object.
Teaching tip
Learners often confuse this with 'affect'. Remind them that 'to effect change' is a formal, specific collocation meaning 'to make change happen'.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “effect” in context.
Confusables
Affect is the action of influencing something, while effect is the result that follows.
RememberAffect = Action. Effect = End result.
Etymology
Of the noun: from Middle English effect, from Old French effect (modern French effet), from Latin effectus (“an effect, tendency, purpose”), from efficiō (“accomplish, complete, effect”); see effect as a verb. Displaced Old English fremming, fremednes from fremman. Of the verb: from Middle English effecten, partly from Medieval Latin effectuō, from Latin effectus, perfect passive participle of efficiō (“accomplish, complete, do, effect”), from ex (“out”) + faciō (“do, make”) (see fact and compare affect, infect) and partly from the noun effect.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Related words
Idioms
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A2 · ElementaryOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/effect
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0