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Meaning & use

effectuate

verb·Advancedformal

Last updated

UK/ɪˈfektʃueɪt/
US/ɪˈfɛktʃueɪt/

Meanings

  1. verbtransitiveformal

    To make something happen, especially by taking deliberate action.

    Grammar: Takes an object: effectuate a change.

    Patterns

    • effectuate change
    • effectuate something through something

    The new director hopes to effectuate real change within a year.

    Only a joint effort can effectuate a lasting peace.

    The committee failed to effectuate its plan.

  2. verbtransitivelegal

    To carry out a legal act or give it legal force.

    Grammar: Common in legal and official writing: effectuate an arrest.

    Patterns

    • effectuate an arrest
    • effectuate a transfer

    The officers were permitted to effectuate an arrest at the scene.

    The clause helps effectuate the intent of the parties.

    The bank will effectuate the transfer once the form is signed.

Word forms

third person singulareffectuates
past tenseeffectuated
past participleeffectuated
-ing formeffectuating

Common combinations

effectuate change
They want to effectuate change in the education system.
effectuate a transfer
The agent will effectuate a transfer of funds.
effectuate an arrest
Police are allowed to use reasonable force to effectuate an arrest.
effectuate the purpose
The rules aim to effectuate the purpose of the law.
effectuate a settlement
The lawyers worked to effectuate a settlement.

Synonyms and how they differ

bring about
Bring about is the plain, everyday phrase and sounds far more natural in ordinary conversation.
implement
Implement means putting a plan or system into action, while effectuate stresses causing the result itself.
accomplish
Accomplish focuses on successfully finishing a task, rather than making something happen.
achieve
Achieve is the common word for reaching a goal and is used in any register.

Opposites

blockprevent

Word family

effect noun
a result or change caused by something
effectuation noun
the act of carrying something out
effective adjective
producing the result that was wanted
effectual adjective
able to produce the intended result
effectively adverb
in a way that produces the wanted result

Commonly confused: effectuate or affect?

effectuate vs affect

Affect means to influence something, while effectuate means to bring something about; the verb effect, like effectuate, means to cause.

Practice

Which word could replace effectuate in the sentence 'The council hopes to effectuate a change in policy'?

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