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

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

However, the researchers note that the findings show a correlation, not cause and effect, and that factors like motivation or self-discipline may also influence outcomes.

From Science Daily • Mar. 30, 2026

But 34 years later, Sims and Sargent would share in the 2011 economics Nobel for “for their empirical research on cause and effect in the macroeconomy.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

But when it comes to cause and effect, there is often a trap in such open-and-shut thinking.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt