Meaning & use
causative factor
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountableformalspecialist
Something that plays a part in making an event, condition, or result happen.
Grammar: Countable: use 'a causative factor' or the plural 'causative factors' when there are several.
Patterns
- a causative factor in something
- a causative factor behind something
- one of the causative factors
Poor diet is a causative factor in many long-term illnesses.
Researchers identified three causative factors behind the decline in bee numbers.
Smoking is widely recognized as a causative factor in lung cancer.
nouncountabletechnicalmedical
A thing that directly brings about a disease or problem, as opposed to one that merely goes with it.
Grammar: Often contrasted with words like 'associated' or 'contributing': a causative factor actually produces the effect.
Patterns
- a causative factor for something
- identify a causative factor
The study tried to separate causative factors from factors that simply appear alongside the disease.
Stress may be a contributing factor rather than a causative factor in his condition.
Word forms
| plural | causative factors |
|---|
Common combinations
- a causative factor in
- Lack of sleep is a causative factor in many road accidents.
- a major causative factor
- Air pollution is a major causative factor in childhood asthma.
- identify causative factors
- The team worked to identify the causative factors of the outbreak.
- a causative factor behind
- Economists point to weak demand as the causative factor behind the slowdown.
- a possible causative factor
- They listed a possible causative factor but could not prove it.
Synonyms and how they differ
- cause
- Shorter and far more common; it suggests the single main reason, while 'causative factor' often implies one of several.
- contributing factor
- Weaker: it only adds to a result, whereas a causative factor is presented as actually producing it.
- trigger
- Suggests the immediate event that sets something off, not a long-standing underlying influence.
Word family
Commonly confused: causative factor or casual?
causative factor vs casual
'Casual' means relaxed or happening by chance, and sounds similar, so 'casual factor' is a common slip for 'causal' or 'causative factor'.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'causative factor' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'A causative factor in' is the standard pattern and needs the article 'a'. Option 1 drops the article, option 2 uses the wrong preposition and form of the verb, and option 3 scrambles the word order.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “causative factor”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.