cause and effect
noun
plural causes and effects
: the direct relationship between an action or event and its consequence or result
Toys that make noise when interacted with … offer auditory stimulation and teach cause and effect.—
Maya Polton and Katrina Cossey
Maya Polton and Katrina Cossey"Human nature is to look for cause and effect," says Robert Baloh, professor of neurology and head and neck surgery at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine. … "I see this daily when I see patients. They're all sure something they ate or something they did caused their problem and their symptoms."—Frank Bures
Frank Bures… focused on observable and verifiable causes and effects in the natural world …—Rafi Eis
Rafi EisExamples of cause and effect in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Quantitative disciplines such as biostatistics, epidemiology, and data science, together with the practical disciplines of clinical trials and outcomes research, enable much more reliable inference about cause and effect.
—Robert M. Califf, STAT, 6 Feb. 2026
The better understanding of the causes and effects of poor indoor air quality, and the technology available to measure and control it, can beneficially update a good historical practice to obtain even more value from it.
—William Bahnfleth, The Conversation, 4 Feb. 2026
These ads were informed but plainspoken, employing the simple logic of cause and effect, inputs and outputs, using words most people recognized.
—Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
The company claims its AI model is more humanlike and can process logical cause and effect scenarios, even if they’re not trained for that particular kind of event.
—Kristin Shaw, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
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Robert M. Califf, STAT, 6 Feb. 2026
The better understanding of the causes and effects of poor indoor air quality, and the technology available to measure and control it, can beneficially update a good historical practice to obtain even more value from it.
—William Bahnfleth, The Conversation, 4 Feb. 2026
These ads were informed but plainspoken, employing the simple logic of cause and effect, inputs and outputs, using words most people recognized.
—Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
The company claims its AI model is more humanlike and can process logical cause and effect scenarios, even if they’re not trained for that particular kind of event.
—Kristin Shaw, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cause and effect
Cite this Entry
“Cause and effect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cause%20and%20effect. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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