effectiveness

Rarely ef·fec·tiv·i·ty

[ih-fek-tiv-nis, ee-fek‐]

noun

1. the quality of producing an intended or desired result.

   For maximum effectiveness of your weight loss plan, you need to combine exercise with a healthy diet.

2. the quality of producing a deep or vivid impression.

   We were struck by the evident appeal and effectiveness of these short, dramatic, upbeat video stories.

3. a measure of the success of a vaccine or other pharmaceutical when used in the real world, as opposed to the controlled environment of a clinical trial.

Other Word Forms

• subeffectiveness noun
• supereffectiveness noun
• uneffectiveness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of effectiveness¹

First recorded in 1600–10; effective ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

Example Sentences

“If we have a few very small studies that suggest effectiveness—studies that don’t uphold the rigor that we need—what if the next treatment is hyperbaric oxygen? Where do we draw the line?”

Read more on Wall Street Journal

This is the key finding from new research conducted by a team at the University of Bern in Switzerland, using a measure of corporate effectiveness created by the Drucker Institute at Claremont Graduate University.

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The new Russian contractors mostly remain in their barracks to focus on training the local army, the European officials say, limiting their effectiveness.

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The author suggests that making cruelty a mandate has generated more public resistance and undermined enforcement effectiveness.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Many analysts question the effectiveness of the UN in resolving conflict these days, pointing in particular to gridlock in the Security Council and the body's unresponsive bureaucracy.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• capability 
• efficacy 
• efficiency 
• potency 
• power 
• success