repercussion
Americannoun
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an effect or result, often indirect or remote, of some event or action.
The repercussions of the quarrel were widespread.
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the state of being driven back by a resisting body.
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a rebounding or recoil of something after impact.
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reverberation; echo.
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Music. (in a fugue) the point after the development of an episode at which the subject and answer appear again.
noun
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(often plural) a result or consequence, esp one that is somewhat removed from the action or event which precipitated it
the repercussions of the war are still keenly felt
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a recoil after impact; a rebound
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a reflection, esp of sound; echo or reverberation
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music the reappearance of a fugal subject and answer after an episode
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of repercussion
1375–1425; late Middle English (< Middle French ) < Latin repercussiōn- (stem of repercussiō ) a rebounding, equivalent to repercuss ( us ) (past participle of repercutere to strike back) + -iōn- -ion. See re-, percussion
Explanation
A repercussion is something that happens because of another action. You could quit paying your rent, but getting evicted from your apartment might be the repercussion. Repercussion may remind you slightly of concussion or percussion — what they all have in common is the idea of something (a head, a drum) getting hit. With repercussion, the hitting is the action, and the result (i.e., the repercussion) is like hearing an echo of that original strike over and over as it reverberates through the air.
Vocabulary lists containing repercussion
"All Summer in a Day" by Ray Bradbury
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This Week in Words: September 22 - 28, 2018
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The Book Thief
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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.
It was hard to contemplate how, even as recently as the 1980s, someone would feel comfortable enough to draw such a disgraceful thing on a government document without fear of repercussion.
From Salon • Sep. 3, 2025
"I believe that where a venue advertises that they operate Ask for Angela, then there should be some kind of fine or repercussion if they haven't trained all their staff."
From BBC • Nov. 12, 2024
It’s just one more repercussion from the Dodgers’ injury-ravaged weekend — a turning-point moment that could define their path to championship contention and alter the blueprint of their World Series ambitions.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2024
In yet another buttress against the scourge of overwork, Australia’s Senate on Thursday passed a bill giving workers the right to ignore calls and messages outside of working hours without fear of repercussion.
From New York Times • Feb. 8, 2024
Treebaun progressed quickly through each student’s recap and repercussion track, and I watched a botched Kennedy assassination simulation, a Watergate mess, and a rather iffy situation involving Ben Franklin, but none of them were Elliot’s.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
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.
