plural knock-on effects
chiefly British
: an indirect or secondary effect
The heat wave has had critical knock-on effects. Surging electricity demand and stress on the power grid triggered power outages …—
Umair Irfan
Umair IrfanOver the past 12 months, asking prices [for houses] have gone up by 9.5%. This has a knock-on effect for renters. UK rents rose by 8.3% in the last three months …—theguardian.com (London)
compare domino effect, ripple effect
theguardian.com (London)Examples of knock-on effect in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The closure of the strait, Iranian attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure and the blockade sent fuel prices skyrocketing, and the knock-on effects rippled through the world economy.
—Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
If the researchers' allegations are true, this has had knock-on effects far beyond the original article.
—Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 14 June 2026
Disruption can have a knock-on effect for the rest of the campaign.
—Andy Jones, New York Times, 11 June 2026
Without it, walls can have a knock-on effect that infiltrates the rest of your room.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for knock-on effect
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Jon Gambrell, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2026
If the researchers' allegations are true, this has had knock-on effects far beyond the original article.
—Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 14 June 2026
Disruption can have a knock-on effect for the rest of the campaign.
—Andy Jones, New York Times, 11 June 2026
Without it, walls can have a knock-on effect that infiltrates the rest of your room.
—Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for knock-on effect
Cite this Entry
“Knock-on effect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knock-on%20effect. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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