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side effect

noun

variants also side reaction
Definition of side effectnext
as in ramification

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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 side effect Another common side effect is appetite suppression that is more severe than people want. — Korin Miller, Allure, 16 Sep. 2026 Taking calcium supplements could exacerbate this side effect. — Jennifer Lefton, Verywell Health, 3 Sep. 2026 This painful side effect, which can cause tingling and numbness in the hands and feet, can be managed with ice and painkillers or opioids. — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 3 Sep. 2026 However, Mulvihill notes that this is rarely a side effect of putting out bird food. — Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for side effect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for side effect
  1. ramification
  2. aftereffect
  3. complexity
  4. convolution
  5. complication
Noun
  • But for those who do put those experiences on credit cards or other financing options, that debt can have long-term ramifications, Walsh says.
    — Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2026
  • That removes a major obstacle for the multibillion-dollar deal that could have huge ramifications for two of Hollywood’s biggest studios, as well as CNN and the networks Ted Turner founded in Atlanta.
    — Savannah Sicurella, AJC.com, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of ramification
Noun
  • Nor has Erica’s return to duty silenced the aftereffects of her time with the Gorn.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The story of a woman who’s still dealing with the aftereffects of that [abuse] isn’t told as much as a woman who’s currently in an abusive relationship and trying to get out.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of aftereffect
Noun
  • Europe operates three other high-performance research reactors with similar core complexities.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Look, for example, at how even today’s AI has repeatedly solved mathematical problems within weeks or months — problems whose complexity had been foiling human mathematicians for decades or longer.
    — Keith Tidman, Baltimore Sun, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of complexity
Noun
  • Because of this, the resulting code tends to exhibit redundancy and convolution and to lack a unified engineering standard.
    — Ihor Hamal, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • In their alternating waves of resentment and understanding, anger and sorrow, D’Arcy and Cooke imbue Rhaenyra and Alicent’s dynamic with all the weight of this history and none of its convolutions.
    — Alison Herman, Variety, 15 June 2026
Definition of convolution
Noun
  • Parsing symptoms of common bugs Figuring out whether your child has COVID-19, the flu, RSV or the common cold is important because some of these illnesses can cause serious complications in certain children.
    — Ann Sheehan, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Around 30% of people who contract measles develop complications, with nine percent of those infected in 2025 and 2026 requiring hospitalization.
    — Sheldon H. Jacobson, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of complication

Browse Nearby Words

sided (with)
side effect
side effects
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Cite this Entry

“Side effect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/side%20effect. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on side effect

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about side effect

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