adjective
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acting as or being a cause
-
stating, involving, or implying a cause
the causal part of the argument
-
philosophy (of a theory) explaining a phenomenon or analysing a concept in terms of some causal relation
Other Word Forms
- causally adverb
- noncausal adjective
- noncausally adverb
- supercausal adjective
- uncausal adjective
Etymology
Origin of causal
1520–30; < Latin causālis, equivalent to caus ( a ) cause + -ālis -al 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
We must confront the causal factors of antisemitism honestly and address antisemitism where it is most common and most virulent.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026
Critics add that the causal link between social media and teen mental-health problems remains unproven.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026
Using this method, they constructed causal gene regulatory networks for six major brain cell types.
From Science Daily • Feb. 15, 2026
There is a strong causal link between saturated fat intake and heart health.
From Slate • Jan. 28, 2026
These considerations, along with the just mentioned correlation between regional population size and societal complexity, have led to a protracted chicken-or-egg debate about the causal relations between food production, population variables, and societal complexity.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
