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aftereffect
noun
af·ter·ef·fect
ˈaf-tər-ə-ˌfekt
: an effect that follows its cause after an interval
Synonyms
Examples of aftereffect in a Sentence
in the U.S. slavery was abolished in 1865, but its aftereffects remained keenly felt long afterwards
Recent Examples on the Web
Obviously, there are myriad reasons for the malaise gripping the town — the lingering aftereffects of the pandemic, the industry-wide economic shrinkage, the labor unrest, the waves and waves of layoffs.
—Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Oct. 2024
The violence of tourism—subtle and not so subtle—is the aftereffect of colonialism in an economy developed still to be extractive and to persist in forcing the local people into new forms of servitude.
—Damaly Gonzalez, ARTnews.com, 26 Sep. 2024
The state is still grappling with the storm’s aftereffects and searching for missing people, but the Facebook post vastly overstates the loss of life, according to North Carolina officials.
—Nate Trela, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024
Trump did succeed in instituting harsh rules that all but shut down the adjudication of asylum cases, hobbling the immigration courts, with aftereffects that endure to this day.
—Julia Preston, Foreign Affairs, 25 Oct. 2024
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Word History
Etymology
First Known Use
1656, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near aftereffect
Cite this Entry
“Aftereffect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aftereffect. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
aftereffect
noun
af·ter·ef·fect
-ə-ˌfekt
: an effect that arises after the first or immediate effect has decreased or disappeared
a medicine with no noticeable aftereffects
Medical Definition
aftereffect
noun
af·ter·ef·fect
ˈaf-tə-ri-ˌfekt
1
: an effect that follows its cause after an interval
the aftereffects of surgery
2
: a secondary result especially in the action of a drug coming on after the subsidence of the first effect
More from Merriam-Webster on aftereffect
Nglish: Translation of aftereffect for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about aftereffect
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