practical effect
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of practical effect
First recorded in 1980–85
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.
The practical effect of those milestones has helped spur others to chase Musk.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 13, 2026
It’s unclear what practical effect the settlement might have.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026
The judge said "the practical effect" of this "is that the defendant will be released once he has completed the punitive element, which I understand will be within the next week."
From BBC • May 20, 2025
In a statement, the university noted that a censure vote had no practical effect.
From New York Times • May 20, 2024
It is plain, then, that with the ordinary errors found in such V-guideways, which will not be found to exceed 1⁄30th of an inch, no practical effect will be produced upon the roll.
From Modern Machine-Shop Practice, Volumes I and II by Rose, Joshua
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.
