in effect

Idioms  

1. For all practical purposes, as in This testimony in effect contradicted her earlier statement . [Late 1500s]

2. In or into operation, as in This law will be in effect in January . Related phrases include go into effect and take effect , which mean “become operative,” as in This law goes into effect January 1 , or It takes effect January 1 . Similarly, put into effect means “make operative,” as in When will the judge's ruling be put into effect? [Late 1700s] Also see in force , def. 2.

---

Example Sentences

The rule would be in effect for one year only and would be triggered if the NFL and NFL Referees Assn. cannot agree on the fundamental issues of accountability, compensation and working conditions.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026

Claude Code tracks its coding mistakes and, in effect, teaches itself how to write better code automatically from simple prompts.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

I think it’s good to draw attention to the oil embargo that the U.S. has in effect, but also there is an element to what you did that looked from the outside like disaster tourism.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

The slow speed also gives flight teams the best chance of spotting and stopping any unwelcome movement of what is in effect a mobile skyscraper.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

And repetition in larger narrative structures—as witness the shape of everything from fairytales and myths to The Gruffalo—is what makes them seem coherent, memorable, self-achieved, and, in effect, meaningful.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith