result

American  

[ri-zuhlt] / rɪˈzʌlt /

verb (used without object)

1. to spring, arise, or proceed as a consequence of actions, circumstances, premises, etc.; be the outcome.

   Synonyms:

   issue, come, flow

2. to terminate or end in a specified manner or thing.

   Synonyms:

   eventuate, resolve

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noun

1. something that happens as a consequence; outcome.

   Synonyms:

   fruit, product, end, issue, conclusion

   Antonyms:

   cause

2. Mathematics. a quantity, expression, etc., obtained by calculation.

3. Often results. a desirable or beneficial consequence, outcome, or effect.

   We had definite results within weeks.

idioms

1. get results, to obtain a notable or successful result or response; be effective.

result British  

/ rɪˈzʌlt /

noun

1. something that ensues from an action, policy, course of events, etc; outcome; consequence

2. a number, quantity, or value obtained by solving a mathematical problem

3. a decision of a legislative body

4. (often plural) the final score or outcome of a sporting contest

5. a favourable result, esp a victory or success

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verb

1. (often foll by from) to be the outcome or consequence (of)

2. (foll by in) to issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc); end

   to result in tragedy

3. property law (of an undisposed or partially disposed of interest in land) to revert to a former owner when the prior interests come to an end

Related Words

See follow. See effect.

Etymology

Origin of result

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English resulten (verb) from Anglo-Latin resultāre “to arise as a consequence” ( Latin: “to spring back, rebound”), equivalent to re- re- + -sultāre, combining form of saltāre “to dance” (frequentative of salīre “to leap, spring”)

Explanation

A result is something that occurs as a consequence of some action. The result of your practical joke is a puddle of water on the floor and a lump on your cousin's head where the bucket hit him. A result is also the answer to some problem, especially one obtained by calculation or experimentation. The result you get for a math problem will be wrong if you add when you should multiply. The verb result means to follow as an outcome of some action. If you forget to book a room in advance, it will result in your having to stay at the hotel by the airport instead of one by the beach.

Example Sentences

Result: The taxable gain on Pesarik’s Wakefield house was $118,198, not $55,799 as he claimed.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

Result: Oil output has hit an all-time high and is expected to grow another 25% in the years ahead.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

At the same time, Severance Hospital is working on technologies to detect and control early mutant cells through the Korea-US Innovative Result Creation R&D project.

From Science Daily • Jan. 28, 2026

Result: An independent panel found the goal should have been given.

From BBC • Feb. 4, 2025

Most of them are from scholarly journals and have long titles, such as “The Study of Synesthetic Cross-Sensory Modalities as a Result of Various Perceptual Stimuli.”

From "A Mango-Shaped Space" by Wendy Mass

Related Words

• appear
• arise
• come from
• culminate
• derive
• emanate
• emerge
• end
• ensue
• follow
• grow
• occur
• proceed
• produce
• rise
• stem