result

American  

[ri-zuhlt] / rɪˈzʌlt /

verb (used without object)

results, present (3rd person singular) resulted, past participle, past resulting present participle

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

Synonym Usage

See follow. See effect.

Other Word Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have resulted
  perfect
• has resulted
  perfect 3rd person singular
• has been resulting
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• results
  singular 3rd person
• have been resulting
  perfect progressive
• is resulting
  progressive 3rd person singular
• am resulting
  progressive 1st person singular
• are resulting
  progressive
• resulting
  participle

Past

• had resulted
  perfect
• was resulting
  progressive singular
• had been resulting
  perfect progressive
• were resulting
  progressive plural
• resulted
  participle
• resulted
  simple

Future

• will result
  simple
• will have resulted
  perfect
• will have been resulting
  perfect progressive
• will be resulting
  progressive

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

The result: Inflation in May could come in below expectations, which would come as a relief to jittery investors.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

A poor clinical trial result in February singlehandedly sent the OMX Copenhagen 25 index tumbling 3.6%.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

But of course that would open the door to other teams to complain about what happened, and their result.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

As a result, the prospectus says, “Mr. Musk will be able to control the outcome of matters requiring shareholder approval,” including the selection of the board of directors.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

The result was that an estimated four million people died of famine in 1933 in Ukraine alone—an area about the size of all the New England and mid-Atlantic states put together.

From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein

Related Words

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