Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

knock-on effect

American  
[nok-on, -awn] / ˈnɒkˈɒn, -ˈɔn /

noun

Chiefly British.
  1. a chain reaction.


Etymology

Origin of knock-on effect

adj. use of verb phrase knock on

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.

See Examples For:

Energy costs, not just of oil but also of gas in winter, hit both production and consumption and have a knock-on effect on economic growth.

From Barron's Jul. 23, 2026

Winchcomb says some of the "dithering" may be because of the potential knock-on effect of any legislation for users of mobility scooters.

From BBC Jul. 22, 2026

Rewards credit cards have drawn criticism from consumer advocates and lawmakers over the high fees merchants must pay to accept them—and the knock-on effect that has on prices, even for shoppers who pay in cash.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 17, 2026

San Francisco’s surging tech industry, which is getting a burst of new business around artificial intelligence, may even have a knock-on effect on Los Angeles-area real estate, Haze said.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 29, 2026

A knock-on effect of this would be a deterioration of the problems already ongoing in the private-credit space, wherein many investor redemption requests could not be fulfilled owing to liquidity constraints.

From MarketWatch Jun. 29, 2026

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training