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Showing results for cause and effect. Search instead for pausenpfiffen.
Definitions

cause and effect

[kawz-uhnd-i-fekt, -uhn-] / ˈkɔz ənd ɪˈfɛkt, -ən- /
NOUN
chain reaction
Synonyms
STRONGEST
chemical reaction vicious circle
WEAK
causal nexus chain of circumstances concatenation of events domino effect powder train ripples in a pond
NOUN
domino effect
Synonyms
WEAK
causal sequence chain of events contagion effect domino theory knock-on knock-on effect ripple effect slippery slope

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.

This research is observational, which means it cannot prove cause and effect.

From Science Daily • Apr. 27, 2026

The editors of the London Review of Books aren’t conspicuous Trump fans, but they are appreciators of cause and effect.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

By identifying this previously unknown layer of interaction between gut bacteria and the immune system, the study shifts the field beyond simple associations and toward understanding cause and effect.

From Science Daily • Mar. 27, 2026

The Nobel laureate’s work transformed how central banks understand cause and effect in the economy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

The theory then turns an observed rough correlation in time into a postulated chain of cause and effect.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond