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 For decades, midlife sleep struggles have been dismissed as an inevitable side effect of getting older. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 July 2026 Nausea is a common side effect of these medications, and heavy, greasy meals can amplify it rather than settle the stomach. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson july 15, Kansas City Star, 15 July 2026 Dizziness can be a side effect of GLP-1 medications, but the TV host doesn’t know what led to her symptoms. — Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026 The resulting anxiety and panic are an unfortunate side effect of a banner year for fireworks shows. — Bill Chappell, NPR, 28 June 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
  • Both the card and the poem speak of juxtaposition and the ramifications of decisions.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 July 2026
  • The World Cup may have ended with Spain’s extra-time goal yesterday, but soccer fans and league presidents alike are still discussing the ramifications of what this year’s tournament may bring the sport for years to come.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 20 July 2026
Definition of ramification
Noun
  • Many of our heroic Vietnam War veterans have continued to suffer the aftereffects of exposure to Agent Orange during their service.
    — Tom Strong, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2026
  • Because there are no other nearby heat generators, that energy must be residual aftereffects of an earlier era.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 1 July 2026
Definition of aftereffect
Noun
  • Candidates will be imperfect, but seeing complexity over time creates discernment and an understanding that there are some lines that cannot and should not be crossed.
    — Maria Comella, Vanity Fair, 23 July 2026
  • Education for technology leadership Warfare has seen dramatic changes in recent years, with the complexity of decisions increasing at unprecedented rates and new challenges emerging rapidly.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 23 July 2026
Definition of complexity
Noun
  • 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
  • Previous studies have shown that hardware tailored for specific mathematical operations, such as Fourier and convolution transforms, can significantly outperform general-purpose processors.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 13 Jan. 2026
Definition of convolution
Noun
  • Despite these complications, Terrace Story delivers a brilliant contemporary fable that chronicles how young people stuck in the saddest timeline can still make meaning.
    — Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026
  • Magdalen’s changing, fillable, emotionally ready body is a complication of the traditional emotional body in the prototypical actress novel.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 July 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 27 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on side effect

Nglish: Translation of side effect for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about side effect

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