externality

noun ex·ter·nal·i·ty \ ˌek-ˌstər-ˈna-lə-tē \

Updated on: 21 Apr 2018

Definition of externality

plural externalities

1 : the quality or state of being external or externalized

2 : something that is external

3 : a secondary or unintended consequence

pollution and other externalities of manufacturing

Recent Examples of externality from the Web

No company’s main source of profit can be described with a straight face as a negative externality.

— alex shephard, The New Republic, "Facebook’s Innocence Project," 10 Apr. 2018
Moreover, some policies are not as susceptible to externalities.

— joseph blocher, Vox, "A gun debate compromise: let cities and rural areas pass different laws," 24 Mar. 2018
This externality alone could wipe out a range of the benefits that bitcoin advocates imagine could result from the use of cryptocurrencies.

— alexis c. madrigal, The Atlantic, "Bitcoin Mining Turns Electricity Into Money," 12 Mar. 2018
Economists and urban planners should rejoice because AVs mean that, for the first time, the unwelcome externalities associated with cars can be fully priced in.

— The Economist, "Self-driving cars offer huge benefits—but have a dark side," 1 Mar. 2018
Our society is horrible at accounting for long-term externalities.

— phillip molnar, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Should the state gas tax be repealed?," 23 Feb. 2018
By and large, Jacksonians are not interested in externalities.

— jerry hendrix, National Review, "China Mistakenly Challenges Andrew Jackson to a Duel," 15 Dec. 2017
And all of them, from Facebook Inc’s perspective, would be mere externalities in its drive for attention.

— alexis c. madrigal, The Atlantic, "Does Facebook Even Know How to Control Facebook?," 31 Oct. 2017
Reformers argue that this laissez faire attitude toward corporate consolidation has accelerated inequality and created myriad externalities that harm basically everyone in one way or another.

— brian beutler, New Republic, "How Democrats Can Wage War on Monopolies—and Win," 16 Sep. 2017

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

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