# ensuing

/ˈɛnsuɪŋ/ (US) · /ɛnsjˈuːɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ensuing
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. following as a result

adjective · CEFR C1 · Academic · Formal

happening after an event, often because that event caused it.

For teachers: occurring as a direct consequence or in the period immediately following a specific event.

- The argument was small, but the ensuing silence lasted for hours.
- The sudden collapse of the bank triggered a panic, and in the ensuing chaos, many investors lost their life savings.

Usage: Usually placed before the noun it modifies.

Teaching tip: This word is much more common in writing than in casual speech; in daily conversation, people usually just say 'the next' or 'what happened after'.

## Examples

- The ensuing silence was very uncomfortable.
- The manager shouted, and the ensuing argument lasted for twenty minutes.
- The treaty ended the war, but the ensuing peace was fragile and lasted only a few years before new conflicts arose.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.