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.
NPR described the outcome as a striking rejection of the FDA’s stance, pointing out that every one of these compounds lacks the large, well-controlled clinical trials required to prove safety and effectiveness in humans.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 17, 2026
Edman’s effectiveness evokes memories of Maury Wills batting first for successful 1960s Dodgers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2026
The effectiveness of changes in aviation security is striking.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
A team from the British Ecological Society's Wales policy group, along with staff from Cardiff and Aberystwyth universities, argue the gaps reduce the effectiveness of this method of trying to deal with the disease.
From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026
There never has been a man who asserted anything with more effectiveness, nor whose affirmations rested upon greater oaths, who observed them less.
From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli
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.
