consequence

con·se·quence | \ ˈkän(t)-sə-ˌkwen(t)s

, -kwən(t)s \

Definition of consequence

1 : a conclusion derived through logic : inference … we can deduce … many consequences each of which can be tested by experiment.— James Bryant Conant

2 : something produced by a cause or necessarily following from a set of conditions the economic consequences of the war This refined taste is the consequence of education and habit.— Joshua Reynolds

3a : importance with respect to power to produce an effect a mistake of no consequence a problem of grave international consequence

b : social importance a person of some consequence

4 : the appearance of importance especially : self-importance You will find his consequence very just and reasonable when you see him in his family. … He has a fine dignified manner, which suits the head of such a house … — Jane Austen

in consequence

: as a result

Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about consequence

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Choose the Right Synonym for consequence

importance, consequence, moment, weight, significance mean a quality or aspect having great worth or significance. importance implies a value judgment of the superior worth or influence of something or someone. a region with no cities of importance consequence generally implies importance because of probable or possible effects. the style you choose is of little consequence moment implies conspicuous or self-evident consequence. a decision of great moment weight implies a judgment of the immediate relative importance of something. the argument carried no weight with the judge significance implies a quality or character that should mark a thing as important but that is not self-evident and may or may not be recognized. the treaty's significance

Examples of consequence in a Sentence

The slightest error can have serious consequences. What were the economic consequences of the war? The decrease in sales was a consequence of some bad publicity about the company. Some say many jobs will be lost as a consequence of the trade agreement. He weighed the consequences of making a career change. The style you choose is of no consequence.

Recent Examples on the Web The killing of Qasem Soleimani stoked a round of hysteria in the media over the consequences, with serious people on cable TV invoking August 1914. — The Editors, National Review, "Iran Blinks — For Now," 8 Jan. 2020 Still, Weinstein’s lawyers have fought tooth and nail to suppress testimonies and relieve him of consequences. — Elly Belle, refinery29.com, "Donna Rotunno Is The Woman Behind Harvey Weinstein’s Defence Team," 8 Jan. 2020 That proximity has an interesting consequence: telescopes have been able to pick up weaker bursts from it that might have faded into the background noise had the bursts come from a more distant source. — John Timmer, Ars Technica, "Closest-ever fast radio burst makes some ideas on their origin less likely," 7 Jan. 2020 But, as any music lover will tell you, these have very real, and felt consequences. — Mario J. Lucero, Quartz, "Music streaming services mishandle our data—and our culture is paying for it," 3 Jan. 2020 There should have been consequences for that failure. — Brett Murphy, USA Today, "Inside the U.S. military raid against its own security guards that left dozens of Afghan children dead," 30 Dec. 2019 Will there be consequences for the chief of Internal Affairs', well...affair? — Rebekah Lowin, Country Living, "Sorry 'Blue Bloods' Fans: We Have Bad News About Tonight's Episode," 20 Dec. 2019 Amy Schumer’s Trainwreck, a film dedicated turning rote rom-com on its head, puts its female scribe through the ringer in a male-heavy sports reporting realm (with actual professional consequence, whoa). — Katie Hasty, EW.com, "Clint Eastwood only hurt himself with Richard Jewell’s worst cliché," 17 Dec. 2019 That’s good for sales, and its popularity made complicated crossover events into regular occurrences—with greater or lesser consequences for the Big Story, and for the business around it. — Adam Rogers, Wired, "Crisis on Infinite Earths," 7 Dec. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'consequence.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

13 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Consequence.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consequence. Accessed 17 January 2020.

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More Definitions for consequence

consequence

noun