Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective effectual contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of effectual are effective, efficacious, and efficient. While all these words mean "producing or capable of producing a result," effectual suggests the accomplishment of a desired result especially as viewed after the fact.

the measures to stop the pilfering proved effectual

When can effective be used instead of effectual?

The synonyms effective and effectual are sometimes interchangeable, but effective stresses the actual production of or the power to produce an effect.

an effective rebuttal

When could efficacious be used to replace effectual?

The meanings of efficacious and effectual largely overlap; however, efficacious suggests possession of a special quality or virtue that gives effective power.

a detergent that is efficacious in removing grease

In what contexts can efficient take the place of effectual?

Although the words efficient and effectual have much in common, efficient suggests an acting or a potential for action or use in such a way as to avoid loss or waste of energy in effecting, producing, or functioning.

an efficient small car

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 effectual Others argue even if wilderness therapy is effectual for some, its premise is flawed. Sara M Moniuszko, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024 Will prospective politicos and those holding positions of power prompt effectual projects to maintain upkeep and ensure each and every citizen is safe rather than pushing self-serving, divisive social agendas? Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 16 Jan. 2024 Others argue even if wilderness therapy is effectual for some, its premise is flawed. USA Today, 8 Dec. 2022 The road to a systemic overhaul has been rocky ; the process itself has been marked by internal fighting and a reluctance among some members to embrace effectual change. Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2022 For more than 150 years, HBCUs have played a vital role in ensuring that African Americans and students of all races can receive a competitive education and become influential leaders and effectual changemakers. Glamour, 26 May 2022 The work continues—certainly more effectual, if not louder, than the sound bites. Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2020 The most that can be decisively taken from all this is that the factors that render radical action productive or counterproductive, effectual or ineffectual, are complex. Osita Nwanevu, The New Republic, 30 May 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for effectual
Adjective
  • This makes the AirLight Pro more efficient (less heat is lost to the air), less damaging (not as much heat is needed to dry your hair), and seriously speedy.
    Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Japan lit the spark in 1964 with the iconic Shinkansen bullet trains, which showed the world that fast, safe, and efficient rail travel was possible.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • By the summer of 2022, systems like the Bayraktar TB2 became less effective as air defenses increased and commanders began spreading their forces apart.
    Joseph Nepomuceno, The Washington Examiner, 13 Sep. 2025
  • His teammate, quarterback Wyatt Nucci, was equally effective.
    Martin Henderson, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • But what really won the people over is the intensely conditioning formula that transforms dry, ragged cuticles with a potent blend of black algae, açai berry, and black caviar extract.
    Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
  • That water vapor, a potent greenhouse gas, would have pushed the world into a scorching-hot greenhouse state not long after its birth.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Effectual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/effectual. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on effectual

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