consequence
Americannoun
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consequences
plural
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the effect, result, or outcome of something occurring earlier.
The accident was the consequence of reckless driving.
- Antonyms:
- cause
-
an act or instance of following something as an effect, result, or outcome.
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the conclusion reached by a line of reasoning; inference.
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importance or significance.
a matter of no consequence.
-
importance in rank or position; distinction.
a man of great consequence in art.
idioms
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in consequence of, as a result of; on account of.
A trial was held in consequence of the investigation.
-
in consequence, consequently; as a result; hence.
He withdrew from the world, and in consequence was forgotten.
noun
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a result or effect of some previous occurrence
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an unpleasant result (esp in the phrase take the consequences )
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significance or importance
it's of no consequence
a man of consequence
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logic
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a conclusion reached by reasoning
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the conclusion of an argument
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the relations between the conclusion and the premises of a valid argument
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the relation between an effect and its cause
-
as a result
Synonym Usage
See effect. See importance.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of consequence
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (from Anglo-French ), from Latin consequentia. See consequent, -ence
Explanation
Things in a sequence come one after another, as in a number sequence of 1, 2, 3, 4. A consequence comes after, or as a result of something you do, for example, "He was given a traffic ticket as a consequence of running the red light." A consequence is a "result" or "conclusion," and the Latin sequī, "to follow," is part of its history. Most actions and acts of nature have a consequence that follows as a result. When people do something wrong, like rob a bank, the consequence will probably be prison time. If an organization works for good and finds a cure for cancer, on the other hand, people will get better as a consequence. When something occurs in nature, like a tornado touching down, destruction might be the consequence.
Vocabulary lists containing consequence
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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"The Monkey's Paw" by W. W. Jacobs
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TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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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.
See Examples For:
Baryon number conservation also has a much more tangible consequence.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026
And yes, it is possible that the eventual consequence of that process is yet another by-election.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Like Dixon, he was describing the predictable consequence of forcing voters back to the polls after they believed that the election was over.
From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026
She warned of a "severe and long-lasting" consequence.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
Sorry for your loss, as though her leaving their family was his fault, the consequence of his irresponsibility.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
He described attempting the keto diet as a “near-psychotic event” brought on by sugar withdrawal, joking that giving someone in his position that much irritability could have geopolitical consequences.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
The researchers argue that potential physiological effects from rising CO2 should therefore be considered in future discussions about climate policy, alongside its established environmental consequences.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 15, 2026
"This means the spill could have especially serious consequences for wildlife, ecosystems and local communities."
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Even if the work is completed near the Friday deadline, Jurado said Lineage should face consequences.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
But it’s more important to understand the consequences of the Tree of Knowledge mutation than its causes.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
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.
