effective


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Related to effective: affective, Effective annual rate

effective

producing the intended result: Her effective speech caused many to volunteer.; actually in force: The new law becomes effective on January 1.
Not to be confused with:
affective – caused by or expressing feelings; emotional; causing emotion or feeling: It was an affective scene that brought tears to the audience.
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree

ef·fec·tive

 (ĭ-fĕk′tĭv)
adj.
1.
a. Having an intended or expected effect.
b. Producing a strong impression or response; striking: gave an effective performance as Othello.
2. Operative; in effect: The law is effective immediately.
3. Existing in fact; actual: a decline in the effective demand.
4. Prepared for use or action, especially in combat.
n.
A soldier or a piece of military equipment that is ready for combat.

ef·fec′tive·ness, ef′fec·tiv′i·ty n.
Synonyms: effective, effectual, efficacious
These adjectives mean producing or capable of producing a desired effect: an effective reprimand; an effectual complaint; an efficacious remedy.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

effective

(ɪˈfɛktɪv)
adj
1. productive of or capable of producing a result
2. in effect; operative: effective from midnight.
3. producing a striking impression; impressive: an effective entrance.
4. (prenominal) actual rather than theoretical; real: the effective income after deductions.
5. (Military) (of a military force, etc) equipped and prepared for action
6. (General Physics) physics (of an alternating quantity) having a value that is the square root of the mean of the squares of the magnitude measured at each instant over a defined period of time, usually one cycle. See also root mean square
n
(Military) a serviceman who is equipped and prepared for action
efˈfectively adv
efˈfectiveness, effectivity n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ef•fec•tive

(ɪˈfɛk tɪv)

adj.
1. adequate to accomplish a purpose; producing the intended or expected result: effective teaching methods.
2. in operation or in force; functioning; operative: The law becomes effective at midnight.
3. producing a deep or vivid impression; striking: an effective photograph.
4. prepared and available for service, esp. military service.
n.
5. a member of the armed forces fit for duty or active service.
[1350–1400; Middle English < Latin effectīvus=effect(us), past participle of efficere (see effect) + -īvus -ive]
ef•fec′tive•ly, adv.
ef•fec′tive•ness, ef•fec•tiv′i•ty, n.
syn: effective, effectual, efficacious, efficient refer to that which produces or is able to produce an effect. effective is applied to something that produces a desired or expected effect, often a lasting one: an effective speech. effectual usu. refers to something that produces a decisive outcome or result: an effectual settlement. efficacious refers to something capable of achieving a certain end or purpose: an efficacious remedy. efficient, usu. used of a person, implies skillful accomplishment of a purpose with little waste of effort: an efficient manager.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

effective

efficient
1. 'effective'

If someone or something is effective, they do something well and produce the results that were intended.

We need effective street lighting.
Simple antibiotics are effective against this virus.
She was very effective in getting people to communicate.
2. 'efficient'

If someone or something is efficient, they do a job well and successfully, without wasting time or energy.

You need a highly efficient production manager if you want to reduce costs.
Engines and cars can be made more efficient.

Be Careful!
Effective and efficient are often confused, but they have slightly different meanings. If you are effective, you do a job properly; if you are efficient, you do it quickly and easily.

Doing research at the library can be effective, but using the internet is often more efficient.
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Adj.1.effective - producing or capable of producing an intended result or having a striking effect; "an air-cooled motor was more effective than a witch's broomstick for rapid long-distance transportation"-LewisMumford; "effective teaching methods"; "effective steps toward peace"; "made an effective entrance"; "his complaint proved to be effectual in bringing action"; "an efficacious law"
efficacious - marked by qualities giving the power to produce an intended effect; "written propaganda is less efficacious than the habits and prejudices...of the readers"-Aldous Huxley; "the medicine is efficacious in stopping a cough"
efficient - being effective without wasting time or effort or expense; "an efficient production manager"; "efficient engines save gas"
potent, stiff, strong - having a strong physiological or chemical effect; "a potent toxin"; "potent liquor"; "a potent cup of tea", "a stiff drink"
powerful - having great power or force or potency or effect; "the most powerful government in western Europe"; "his powerful arms"; "a powerful bomb"; "the horse's powerful kick"; "powerful drugs"; "a powerful argument"
useful, utile - being of use or service; "the girl felt motherly and useful"; "a useful job"; "a useful member of society"
ineffective, ineffectual, uneffective - not producing an intended effect; "an ineffective teacher"; "ineffective legislation"
2.effective - able to accomplish a purpose; functioning effectively; "people who will do nothing unless they get something out of it for themselves are often highly effective persons..."-G.B.Shaw; "effective personnel"; "an efficient secretary"; "the efficient cause of the revolution"
competent - properly or sufficiently qualified or capable or efficient; "a competent typist"
3.effective - works well as a means or remedy; "an effective reprimand"; "a lotion that is effective in cases of prickly heat"
efficacious - marked by qualities giving the power to produce an intended effect; "written propaganda is less efficacious than the habits and prejudices...of the readers"-Aldous Huxley; "the medicine is efficacious in stopping a cough"
4.effective - exerting force or influence; "the law is effective immediately"; "a warranty good for two years"; "the law is already in effect (or in force)"
operative - being in force or having or exerting force; "operative regulations"; "the major tendencies operative in the American political system"
5.effective - existing in fact; not theoretical; real; "a decline in the effective demand"; "confused increased equipment and expenditure with the quantity of effective work done"
actual, existent - presently existing in fact and not merely potential or possible; "the predicted temperature and the actual temperature were markedly different"; "actual and imagined conditions"
6.effective - ready for service; "the fort was held by about 100 effective soldiers"
armed forces, armed services, military, military machine, war machine - the military forces of a nation; "their military is the largest in the region"; "the military machine is the same one we faced in 1991 but now it is weaker"
operational - (military) of or intended for or involved in military operations
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

effective

adjective
2. powerful, strong, convincing, persuasive, telling, impressive, compelling, potent, forceful, striking, emphatic, weighty, forcible, cogent You can't make an effective argument if all you do is stridently voice your opinion.
powerful weak, tame, pathetic, powerless, feeble, ineffectual
3. virtual, essential, practical, implied, implicit, tacit, unacknowledged They have had effective control of the area.
4. in operation, official, current, legal, real, active, actual, in effect, valid, operative, in force, in execution The new rules will become effective in the next few days.
in operation inactive, inoperative
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

effective

adjective
1. Producing or able to produce a desired effect:
2. Full of or displaying force:
3. In effect:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
فَعّالفَعَّالفِعْلي، فَعّالمُثير
účinný
effektivvirkningsfuldaktivblive gyldig
tehokas
učinkovit
célravezetőeredményeshatásoshatékony
áhrifamikillárangursríkurvirkur, í gildi
効果的な
효과적인
učinkovit
effektiv
ได้ผลดี
etkiliyürürlüğe girmişyürürlükteetkileyici
hiệu quả

effective

[ɪˈfektɪv]
A. ADJ
1. (= efficient, useful) [treatment, method, deterrent, system] → efectivo, eficaz; [remark, argument] → eficaz
the method is simple, but effectiveel método es simple pero efectivo or eficaz
to be effective against sth [drug] → ser eficaz contra algo
effective capacity (Tech) → capacidad f útil
to be effective in doing sthser eficaz para hacer algo
effective life (Pharm) → vida f útil
effective power (Tech) → potencia f real
effective ways of reducing pollutionformas fpl efectivas or eficaces de reducir la polución
2. (= striking) [display, outfit, decoration] → impresionante, logrado; [combination] → logrado
to look effectivecausar efecto
blinds can look very effectivelas persianas pueden causar muy buen efecto or mucho efecto
3. (= operative)
to become effectiveentrar en vigor, hacerse efectivo (from, on a partir de)
effective datefecha f de vigencia, fecha f efectiva
it will be effective from April 1entrará en vigor or será efectivo a partir del 1 de abril
4. (= actual) [aid, contribution, leader] → real; [control, increase] → efectivo; [income] → en efectivo
5. (Econ, Fin) [demand, interest rate] → efectivo
B. effectives NPL (Mil) → efectivos mpl
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

effective

[ɪˈfɛktɪv] adj
(= efficient) [method, way] → efficace
(= successful) [treatment] → efficace
to be effective against sth [drug] → être efficace contre qch
[control, command] → effectif/ive
(= striking) [display, outfit] → frappant(e), qui produit de l'effet, qui fait de l'effet
to become effective [law, agreement] → entrer en vigueur, prendre effet
effective date → date f d'effet, date f d'entrée en vigueur
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

effective

adj
(= successful) way, method, action, measureseffektiv, wirksam; means, treatment, vaccine, deterrentwirksam; strategy, policy, government, politicianeffektiv; to be effective in pain reliefSchmerzlinderung bewirken; to be effective in doing somethingbewirken, dass etw geschieht; to be effective against something (drug) → gegen etw wirken
(= striking) decoration, pattern, combinationwirkungsvoll; to look effectivewirkungsvoll aussehen, gut wirken
(= actual) control, increaseeffektiv, tatsächlich; (Econ, Fin) demand, interest rateeffektiv, tatsächlich; leadereigentlich; incomewirklich, tatsächlich; they have effective control of the areasie haben das Gebiet praktisch unter Kontrolle
(= operative)wirksam, in Kraft; a new law, effective from or becoming effective on 1 Augustein neues Gesetz, das am 1. August in Kraft tritt; effective dateInkrafttreten nt
(Mil) troopseinsatzbereit
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

effective

[ɪˈfɛktɪv] adj
a. (efficient) → efficace
to become effective (Law) → entrare in vigore
b. (striking, display, outfit) → che fa colpo
c. (actual) → effettivo/a
effective date → data d'entrata in vigore
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

effect

(iˈfekt) noun
1. a result or consequence. He is suffering from the effects of over-eating; His discovery had little effect at first.
2. an impression given or produced. The speech did not have much effect (on them); a pleasing effect.
verb
to make happen; to bring about. He tried to effect a reconciliation between his parents.
efˈfective (-tiv) adjective
1. having power to produce, or producing, a desired result. These new teaching methods have proved very effective.
2. striking or pleasing. an effective display of flowers.
3. in operation; working; active. The new law becomes effective next week.
efˈfectively (-tivli) adverb
efˈfects noun plural
1. property; goods. She left few personal effects when she died.
2. in drama etc, devices for producing suitable sounds, lighting etc to accompany a play etc. sound effects.
efˈfectual (-tʃuəl) adjective
successful in producing the desired results. He was not very effectual as an organiser.
come into effect
(of a law etc) to begin to operate. The law came into effect last month.
for effect
for the sake of making an impression. You don't mean that – you only said it for effect.
in effect
1. (of a rule etc) in operation. That law is no longer in effect.
2. in truth or in practical terms. In effect our opinions differed very little.
put into effect
to put (a law etc) into operation. He has begun to put his theories into effect.
take effect
to begin to work; to come into force. When will the drug take effect?
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

effective

فَعَّال účinný effektiv wirksam αποτελεσματικός eficaz tehokas effectif učinkovit efficace 効果的な 효과적인 effectief effektiv skuteczny eficaz действенный effektiv ได้ผลดี etkili hiệu quả 有效的
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

effective

adj eficaz, efectivo; (clinical research) eficaz bajo condiciones normales (See note under efficacy.)
English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
References in classic literature ?
The man replied that if the Horse would receive a bit in his mouth and agree to carry him, he would contrive effective weapons against the Stag.
1) In diction, dialect and style it is obviously dependent upon Homer, and is therefore considerably later than the "Iliad" and "Odyssey": moreover, as we have seen, it is in revolt against the romantic school, already grown decadent, and while the digamma is still living, it is obviously growing weak, and is by no means uniformly effective.
To keep ships afloat is his business; it is his trust; it is the effective formula of the bottom of all these vague impulses, dreams, and illusions that go to the making up of a boy's vocation.
It was disastrously effective. He poured out rivers of ridicule upon them, and forced the big mass meeting to laugh and applaud.
His only accomplice was one who could never give him away, and the grotesque, inconceivable nature of the device only served to make it more effective. Both of the women concerned in the case, Mrs.
It was a very simple device, but perfectly effective, as I think any one will find who employs it in like circumstances; and I would really like to commend it to growing boys troubled as I was then.
"These outrages need not be especially sanguinary," Mr Vladimir went on, as if delivering a scientific lecture, "but they must be sufficiently startling - effective. Let them be directed against buildings, for instance.
A ruin must be rightly situated, to be effective. This one could not have been better placed.
These pills we have found to be very effective, and they save a lot of time.
From beneath the half-raised shutters of the bungalow other bowmen did effective service in greater security, and after the first assault, Mugambi withdrew his entire force within the building.
Hunt, for he knew not how far it might be effective among his men.
He was now too close upon me for the cudgel to prove of any effective assistance, so I merely threw it as heavily as I could at his advancing bulk.