domino effect

American  

noun

1. the cumulative effect that results when one event precipitates a series of like events.

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domino effect British  

noun

1. a series of similar or related events occurring as a direct and inevitable result of one initial event

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Etymology

Origin of domino effect

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

There are all these things that are a domino effect that you cannot predict.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026

While the company has the means to fight in court, the domino effect from thousands of other pending cases could dampen investor enthusiasm for big AI advances.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

“A few weeks of Hormuz closure will create a domino effect of events that could push crude to $150 or higher,” Macquarie analysts wrote in a Friday research note.

From Barron's • Mar. 7, 2026

Tricolor Holdings filed for bankruptcy in September, coming under a cloud of suspicion about its business practices and sparking fears of a domino effect on banks.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 17, 2025

Stack collapses weren’t that uncommon, and if the scaffold supports buckled at the wrong angle, the domino effect could bring down four or five of the neighboring stacks too.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline