consequence
Americannoun
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consequences
plural
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the effect, result, or outcome of something occurring earlier.
The accident was the consequence of reckless driving.
- Antonyms:
- cause
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an act or instance of following something as an effect, result, or outcome.
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the conclusion reached by a line of reasoning; inference.
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importance or significance.
a matter of no consequence.
-
importance in rank or position; distinction.
a man of great consequence in art.
idioms
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in consequence of, as a result of; on account of.
A trial was held in consequence of the investigation.
-
in consequence, consequently; as a result; hence.
He withdrew from the world, and in consequence was forgotten.
noun
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a result or effect of some previous occurrence
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an unpleasant result (esp in the phrase take the consequences )
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significance or importance
it's of no consequence
a man of consequence
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logic
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a conclusion reached by reasoning
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the conclusion of an argument
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the relations between the conclusion and the premises of a valid argument
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the relation between an effect and its cause
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as a result
Synonym Usage
See effect. See importance.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of consequence
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (from Anglo-French ), from Latin consequentia. See consequent, -ence
Explanation
Things in a sequence come one after another, as in a number sequence of 1, 2, 3, 4. A consequence comes after, or as a result of something you do, for example, "He was given a traffic ticket as a consequence of running the red light." A consequence is a "result" or "conclusion," and the Latin sequī, "to follow," is part of its history. Most actions and acts of nature have a consequence that follows as a result. When people do something wrong, like rob a bank, the consequence will probably be prison time. If an organization works for good and finds a cure for cancer, on the other hand, people will get better as a consequence. When something occurs in nature, like a tornado touching down, destruction might be the consequence.
Vocabulary lists containing consequence
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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"The Monkey's Paw" by W. W. Jacobs
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TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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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.
See Examples For:
For Roberts and the three liberal justices, that consequence implicated the separation of powers itself.
From Slate ● Sep. 1, 2026
Werb argued that the mutiny was the consequence of a worsening security landscape in Niger, with the junta having failed to quell a deadly, long-running jihadist insurgency.
From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026
The consequence, and the whole point of a VAT, would be to increase government revenue as a share of GDP.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
Their previous work uncovered another important consequence of the black hole's tidal forces.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026
Apparently the sight of the empty street in front and behind her was now of no consequence.
From "It All Comes Down to This" by Karen English
"That is why I'm happy to commit and announce the new cross-government task and finish team will be working at pace to find a solution without unintended consequences," Eshalomi said.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
As a result, response times can be sluggish, and criminals sometimes have the perception that they won’t face consequences, Matson said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2026
"A disaster originating in one part of the Himalayan region can have consequences far beyond national boundaries, affecting river systems, ecosystems, livelihoods and communities across South Asia."
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
According to Hou, the results suggest that neighborhood social conditions earlier in life may have lasting biological consequences for cardiovascular health.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 2, 2026
This shift, she noted, had profound consequences for the future of racial justice advocacy; in fact, it was debilitating to the movement.
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
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.
