halo effect
Americannoun
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a predisposition to admire all of a person's actions, work, etc., because of an estimable quality or action in the past.
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Psychology. a potential inaccuracy in observation, as of a person, due to overgeneralization from a limited amount of evidence or the influence of preconceived beliefs or a priori hypotheses.
The assumption that he is an authority on the subject is a halo effect of his Ivy League manner.
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any desirable side effect.
noun
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the beneficial effect on sales of a company's range of products produced by the popularity or high profile of one particular product
Etymology
Origin of halo effect
First recorded in 1925–30
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.
Investors should know who could be affected by the SpaceX halo effect.
From Barron's • May 28, 2026
That’s likely a reflection of the years in which unvaccinated individuals were protected by the halo effect of others living around them who were vaccinated.
From MarketWatch • Dec. 17, 2025
Rising gold prices may also be having a halo effect on jewelry.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 28, 2025
He said the platform had a "positive impact on the high street at large" as a "halo effect" often touched businesses who found that products trending on TikTok then became popular in high street stores.
From BBC • Feb. 21, 2025
Whenever that halo effect happened, I wanted to stare at her until the sunlight stopped, but my heart stopped before the light did.
From "The View From Saturday" by E.L. Konigsburg
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.
