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

As ecosystems become more interconnected, understanding operational cause and effect becomes as valuable as technical observability. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026

Researchers advised that the study’s findings did not prove cause and effect and should not be treated as such. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 20 July 2026

Dairy contains whey protein that may benefit glucose regulation, which may partially explain the association, though the research doesn't nail down cause and effect. — Allison Aubrey, NPR, 13 July 2026

That kind of research is less conclusive than clinical trials that follow subjects over time to create new and theoretically more reliable data that can do more to prove cause and effect. — Elise M. Brett, EverydayHealth.com, 26 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