effectiveness
Americannoun
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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.
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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.
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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
Etymology
Origin of effectiveness
First recorded in 1600–10; effective ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )
Vocabulary lists containing effectiveness
Reading: Informational - Middle School
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Media Literacy - High School
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Media Literacy - Middle School
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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.
Steinem usually attributed her effectiveness as a spokesperson to her sense of humor, but understood that her beguiling good looks also played a role.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026
But the Briton delighted with his inventive play during the two-hour contest, and caused Musetti headaches with his early effectiveness at the net in particular.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
Plus, gauging the effectiveness of school phone bans, how the fallen ‘Nostradamus of AI’ got to the top of tech, Nvidia wants to run the world’s robots and more.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026
"Simply continuing to... maintain commercial channels and provide alternative payment mechanisms can substantially reduce the effectiveness of economic isolation," said Lezhava.
From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026
What might I be able to add to a lesson to increase its effectiveness for the learner—e.g., movement? rhythm? instruments?
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
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.
