Meaning & use
aftereffect
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
An effect that shows up later, after the thing that caused it has finished.
Grammar: Usually plural in general talk: the aftereffects of the storm; singular for one clear effect.
Patterns
- the aftereffects of something
- an aftereffect of something
Headaches are a common aftereffect of the medicine.
The town still feels the aftereffects of the flood.
One aftereffect of the war was a shortage of workers.
nouncountabletechnical
A feeling or sensation that stays briefly after a stimulus has stopped, such as an image seen after a bright light.
Grammar: Used in science and psychology, with the stimulus named after of.
Patterns
- an aftereffect of something
Staring at the lamp left a green aftereffect in my vision.
A motion aftereffect makes still scenery seem to drift.
The aftereffect faded after a few seconds.
Word forms
| plural | aftereffects |
|---|
Common combinations
- lasting aftereffects
- The injury had lasting aftereffects on her knee.
- suffer aftereffects
- Some patients suffer aftereffects for weeks.
- harmful aftereffects
- There were no harmful aftereffects from the trial.
- economic aftereffects
- The economic aftereffects of the crisis continued for years.
- feel the aftereffects
- We still feel the aftereffects of the late night.
Synonyms and how they differ
- consequence
- Consequence is broader and can be immediate, while aftereffect always follows later.
- repercussion
- Repercussion usually suggests an unwelcome and far-reaching result of an action.
- fallout
- Fallout is informal and describes the messy results of a scandal or event.
- side effect
- A side effect happens alongside the main effect, typically of a drug, not necessarily afterward.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: aftereffect or aftershock? aftereffect or affect?
aftereffect vs aftershock
An aftershock is a smaller earthquake following a big one, not a general lingering effect.
aftereffect vs affect
Affect is a verb meaning to influence; the noun aftereffect is spelled with effect.
Practice
Dizziness was one ___ of the long flight.
Choose one answer.
Aftereffect means a later result of something. Afterthought is an idea that comes later, so it does not fit dizziness.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “aftereffect”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.