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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun consequence differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of consequence are importance, moment, significance, and weight. While all these words mean "a quality or aspect having great worth or significance," consequence generally implies importance because of probable or possible effects.

the style you choose is of little consequence

When might importance be a better fit than consequence?

Although the words importance and consequence have much in common, importance implies a value judgment of the superior worth or influence of something or someone.

a region with no cities of importance

When is moment a more appropriate choice than consequence?

While in some cases nearly identical to consequence, moment implies conspicuous or self-evident consequence.

a decision of great moment

When is it sensible to use significance instead of consequence?

The words significance and consequence are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

In what contexts can weight take the place of consequence?

The words weight and consequence can be used in similar contexts, but weight implies a judgment of the immediate relative importance of something.

the argument carried no weight with the judge

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of consequence Kirk’s assassin, as well as anyone else who engages in barbaric acts, should be condemned, face the ultimate legal consequences for their actions and be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Agustina Vergara Cid, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025 The tax consequences of being a creditor are far different from those of being a shareholder. Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025 The potential adverse consequences to entrepreneurs when well-being is disregarded are well-documented. Samantha Dewalt, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2025 Health officials have estimated in the past that these health consequences of hypertension cost about $131 billion annually. Alice Park, Time, 12 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for consequence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for consequence
Noun
  • The result is that the field of ketamine therapy goes unregulated.
    Rachel Hale, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Police have not indicated whether the test results have come back, who owns the dogs or if there are more dogs possibly being investigated.
    Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Smith touched on the importance of the award before the artist touched the stage, especially due to the fact that Abloh was regarded as an innovator and cultural steward.
    Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Gray comments come as businesses place more importance on emotional intelligence, or EQ, a skill increasingly seen as essential for executives.
    Ashley Lutz, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Mitchell prides himself on being a no-nonsense, no-bulls*** kind of man, but his attitude can sometimes come across as arrogance.
    George Caulkin, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2025
  • This arrogance is not just limited to tech titans.
    Christian Josi, Boston Herald, 31 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • In many edge use cases, CPUs are more than capable of running real-world inference models, especially when training is done in the cloud and inference is localized.
    Bruce Kornfeld, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Unlike consumer-facing peers that absorb massive compute costs directly onto their own balance sheets, Cohere’s approach shifts much of that burden to partners and customers who pay for their own inference.
    Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Local organizations are training AI models on regional medical data to improve healthcare outcomes.
    Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
  • With an outside agency taking the lead, local officials hoped to mitigate concerns over conflicts of interest and inspire public trust in the investigation’s outcome, the county wrote last month in a letter to Bonta.
    Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Many of these local gems are cozy relics that house unique pieces that evoke a sense of nostalgia, hold a coveted aesthetic or have historical significance.
    Olivia Lee, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2025
  • What was the significance of being able to share these memories with him?
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Timothy Olyphant, again, sells the superiority well.
    Noel Murray, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Originally from Ohio, Howard would whisper-speak his lectures to a crowded room, describing with fatigued superiority people (including his family) who couldn’t properly appreciate Nijinsky.
    Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • In this case, the deduction begins to decrease once income reaches $150,000 for joint filers ($75,000 for all other taxpayers) and disappears completely once income hits $350,000 for joint filers ($175,000 for all other taxpayers).
    KELLY PHILLIPS ERB, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Workers typically pay for their health insurance premiums through paycheck deductions.
    Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Consequence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/consequence. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.

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