consequence

SayKON-si-kwens/ˈkɑnsɪkwɛns/UK/ˈkɒnsɪkwɛns/

Verbconsequences, consequencing, consequenced

6 meanings of consequence

1
nouncountable
Something that happens because of an earlier action or event.
Like the splash that comes after you drop a stone into water.
Losing his job was a consequence of arriving late every day.
Every choice you make has a consequence of some kind.
Similarresult, effect, outcome, upshot, product
Oppositecause
Note
2
nouncountable
A bad or unwanted result of something you do.
Like getting a stomachache after eating too much candy.
He had to face the consequences of cheating on the test.
Skipping practice had a real consequence: she lost her spot on the team.
Similarrepercussion, result, fallout, ramification, effect
Note
3
noununcountable
How important or serious a person or thing is.
Like the weight of something: big things matter, small things don't.
The mistake turned out to be of little consequence to anyone.
She is a person of great consequence in her town.
Similarimportance, significance, moment, import, note
Oppositeinsignificance, unimportance
Note
4
nouncountable
A chain in which one cause leads to an effect, which leads on to the next.
Like a row of dominoes, where each one knocks over the next.
The teacher traced the consequence of one event causing the next, like falling dominoes.
He explained the whole consequence from the first spark to the final blaze.
Similarchain, sequence, succession
5
nouncountable
A conclusion you reach by reasoning from facts you already know.
Like the answer you reach at the end of a math problem.
From all the clues, the detective drew the obvious consequence.
If both statements are true, the consequence follows logically.
Similarconclusion, inference, deduction
6
verbtransitive
To punish a child by giving a set penalty when they misbehave.
Like a referee giving a player a penalty for breaking a rule.
The teacher consequenced the students who broke the classroom rules.
Parents sometimes consequence their kids for ignoring chores.
Similarpunish, discipline, penalize
Oppositereward
Note

Practice

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Origin

This word came through Middle English and Old French from the Latin word "consequentia".