cause and effect

noun

plural causes and effects

: the direct relationship between an action or event and its consequence or result

Toys that make noise when interacted with … offer auditory stimulation and teach cause and effect.

—Maya Polton and Katrina Cossey

"Human nature is to look for cause and effect," says Robert Baloh, professor of neurology and head and neck surgery at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine. … "I see this daily when I see patients. They're all sure something they ate or something they did caused their problem and their symptoms."

—Frank Bures

… focused on observable and verifiable causes and effects in the natural world …

—Rafi Eis

Examples of cause and effect in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Sequence unraveled, and with it the onward rush, progression, the sense of one event coming after another; my understanding of cause and effect, of the chronological chopping-up of time both personal and historical—before and after, premodern and modern—all blurred, folded, unraveled out of reach. —Literary Hub, 16 June 2026

The data shows there's a direct cause and effect between family decline and faith decline. —Lauren Green, FOXNews.com, 15 June 2026

In an earthquake, cause and effect do not feel linear. —Pablo Larios, Artforum, 10 June 2026

The study was also observational, meaning no firm conclusions can be made regarding direct cause and effect. —Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 4 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cause and effect

• affect
• aspect
• bedecked
• bisect
• collect
• connect
• correct
• deflect
• detect
• direct
• dissect
• eject