cause and effect

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

However, observational data alone cannot prove cause and effect.

From Science Daily • May 6, 2026

Because the study was observational, it cannot prove cause and effect.

From Science Daily • May 1, 2026

The study is cross-sectional, which means it cannot determine cause and effect and may be influenced by confounding factors or reverse causation.

From Science Daily • Apr. 13, 2026

He did, and in 2011, Christopher Sims and his friend Thomas Sargent won a Nobel Prize for their work revealing how the lines of cause and effect ripple through the economy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

Three nuthatches he found later provided a sorry little step-by-step lesson in cause and effect: one was feeding on an elm, another was found dying of typical DDT symptoms, the third was dead.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson