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effective communication
meaningful communication
persuasive communication
good communication
successful communication
essential communication
an effective tool
an useful tool
an efficient tool
a potent tool
a powerful tool
a viable tool
an effective dose
a sufficient dose
an adequate dose
a potent dose
a healthy dose
effective management
productive management
successful management
proper management
high-impact management
efficient management

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective effective contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of effective are effectual, efficacious, and efficient. While all these words mean "producing or capable of producing a result," effective stresses the actual production of or the power to produce an effect.

an effective rebuttal

When can effectual be used instead of effective?

The words effectual and effective can be used in similar contexts, but effectual suggests the accomplishment of a desired result especially as viewed after the fact.

the measures to stop the pilfering proved effectual

When could efficacious be used to replace effective?

The words efficacious and effective are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, efficacious suggests possession of a special quality or virtue that gives effective power.

a detergent that is efficacious in removing grease

Where would efficient be a reasonable alternative to effective?

While in some cases nearly identical to effective, efficient suggests an acting or a potential for action or use in such a way as to avoid loss or waste of energy in effecting, producing, or functioning.

an efficient small car

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of effective Most studies investigate how effective a workout plan is over eight to 16 weeks. Julia Ries, Health, 22 May 2025 Building effective dashboards requires moderate Notion skills but minimal ongoing maintenance. Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025 But the past has shown external pressure – especially from Washington – can be effective. Farah N. Jan, The Conversation, 10 May 2025 India is a huge democracy and an effective economic and political counterweight to China in the Indo-Pacific region. Christopher Shays, New York Daily News, 10 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for effective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for effective
Adjective
  • Life hacks are methods for making daily tasks easier, more efficient, or more enjoyable.
    Paul McClure May 24, New Atlas, 24 May 2025
  • It's powered by the fast and efficient S10 chip and boasts tons of health, fitness, and lifestyle features, including GPS workout recording, ECG, sleep and cycle tracking, music, podcast, and third-party app support.
    Cierra Cowan, PC Magazine, 24 May 2025
Adjective
  • This $150 price drop is a pretty compelling reason to pick one up, whether for yourself or for a grad in your life.
    & John Mihaly, PC Magazine, 27 May 2025
  • Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
    Jackie Fields, People.com, 27 May 2025
Adjective
  • Watching actual bodies and objects moving through space (the air or water) is literal-minded rather than fantastic in the ways that made silent movie masters Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, and Charlie Chaplin funny and sublime.
    Armond White, National Review, 23 May 2025
  • The actual ranges of these missiles remain classified.
    Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025
Adjective
  • These messages are far more convincing than the sloppy scams of the past.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 27 May 2025
  • If their impressive durability isn’t convincing enough to add them to your virtual cart, the set’s 6,000-plus five-star ratings should be.
    Ali Faccenda, People.com, 27 May 2025
Adjective
  • In this eerie tale about fear, lust, and female empowerment, the real question becomes whether this is an act of witchcraft—or a witch hunt.
    Shannon Carlin, Time, 22 May 2025
  • All of his links to the real world are frayed or contrived.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • While another research review published this year in Nutrients says the research for athletic benefits in women isn’t yet conclusive, there are also reasons to suspect women may benefit from creatine at least as much as men, if not more, both inside and outside the gym, Dr. Smith-Ryan says.
    Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 28 May 2025
  • Though home blood pressure monitors are effective, a healthcare provider can provide more accurate and conclusive results.
    Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 27 May 2025
Adjective
  • Remember when Google demoed its Bard AI tool in 2023 and its factual error led to its parent company losing US$100 billion in market value?
    Greg Edwards, The Conversation, 30 May 2025
  • Puig agreed to waive any legal protections for suppression or exclusion of new information in the factual basis.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 30 May 2025
Adjective
  • This results in a charge imbalance that builds up an electric field strong enough to trigger flashes of lightning.
    National Geographic, National Geographic, 13 Jan. 2023
  • According to research from Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control, strong gun control laws are correlated with fewer gun deaths.
    Elliot Hughes, Journal Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2023

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Cite this Entry

“Effective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/effective. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on effective

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