1
as in efficient
producing or capable of producing a desired result
an effective treatment of the once-dreaded disease gave an effective speech that won over many undecided voters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in compelling
having the power to persuade
made an effective argument in favor of the proposal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in actual
existing in fact and not merely as a possibility
made the mistake of confusing the plant's production capacity with its effective output
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in conclusiveness
the capacity to persuade
the "guilty" verdict was all the proof needed of the effectiveness of the prosecutor's closing argument
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in efficacy
the power to produce a desired result
the huge upsurge in sales pretty much demonstrated the effectiveness of the new ad campaign
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in impact
the quality of an utterance that provokes interest and produces an effect
your writing lacks effectiveness because practically every sentence is in the passive voice
Synonyms & Similar Words
Try This Instead
Try This InsteadFor
Try This
effective communication
meaningful communication
persuasive communication
good communication
successful communication
essential communication
an effective dose
effective management
productive management
successful management
proper management
high-impact management
efficient management
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of effective
Rowan Briggs, Mercury News, 10 July 2025
According to the team, this research indicates that ghost crabs are effective predators of the early life phase of sea turtles with a taste for meat.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 10 July 2025
Unlike generics, they’re not approved by the FDA, a federal agency that verifies whether drugs are safe and effective .
—Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025
Dependable, uninterrupted and effective foreign aid is critical to the well-being of millions of children.
—Unicef Usa, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for effective
Adjective
But incentives must also support long-term habit formation to be truly effective.
—Rowan Briggs, Mercury News, 10 July 2025
According to the team, this research indicates that ghost crabs are effective predators of the early life phase of sea turtles with a taste for meat.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 10 July 2025
Unlike generics, they’re not approved by the FDA, a federal agency that verifies whether drugs are safe and effective .
—Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025
Dependable, uninterrupted and effective foreign aid is critical to the well-being of millions of children.
—Unicef Usa, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for effective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for effective
Adjective
-
By having the facility on site, SpaceX hopes to make the delivery of those gases more efficient by eliminating the need to have dozens of trucks deliver them from Brownsville.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
11 July 2025
-
In some ways, the purpose seems obvious — an efficient way to refine your hand-eye coordination before a big match, like Alcaraz’s showdown with American Taylor Fritz on Friday in the Wimbledon men’s semifinals.—
Rustin Dodd,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.—
Erin Clack,
People.com,
13 July 2025
-
After Jelly Roll’s big moment cost McIntyre a win at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, McIntyre is a strong candidate to challenge for the WWE Championship immediately after SummerSlam, especially with a lack of other compelling options on SmackDown.—
Blake Oestriecher,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
Adjective
-
The actual production of the show is also driving an economic boom.—
Opheli Garcia Lawler,
Travel + Leisure,
10 July 2025
-
If so, what happens to the role of fundamentals, the actual performance and value of companies, in determining prices?—
Spriha Srivastava,
CNBC,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
Like the probiotics claiming to heal your gut, vaginal ones haven’t undergone the stringent safety and efficacy testing necessary for FDA approval.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
7 July 2025
-
Testers considered performance across four primary categories: efficacy, texture and experience, fragrance, and packaging.—
Jennifer Hussein,
Allure,
30 June 2025
Noun
-
Ironically, the impact will hit especially hard in Republican areas–a fact that Forbes (and others) thought last November might protect the industry from such savage cuts.—
Christopher Helman,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
-
In addition, the U.S. Global Change Research Program site provided a wide range of educational resources, including interactive webpages, videos and podcasts that explained the far-reaching impacts of climate change in an easy-to-understand manner, even for the public.—
Matthew Glasser,
ABC News,
1 July 2025
Adjective
-
Hallucinations, when models generate convincing but false information, can mislead decision-making and create legal exposure.—
Shane Buckley,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
-
Yet performances have not always been convincing and results have begun to suffer.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
Adjective
-
If no deal is reached by August, there is a real danger that President Trump will impose high tariffs.—
Myron Brilliant,
Time,
9 July 2025
-
When marriages seemed to fail, there was no real option to divorce.—
Ann Foster,
JSTOR Daily,
9 July 2025
Noun
-
One possibility that didn’t come up at the meeting: White could file a lawsuit questioning the validity of the signatures on the recall petitions.—
Mike Hendricks,
Kansas City Star,
11 July 2025
-
Recently, some researchers have questioned the validity of the glass cliff theory.—
Kim Elsesser,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Effective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/effective. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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