Meaning & use
legal implications
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Meanings
nounplurallegal
the possible legal results or effects that an action, decision, or rule may have
Grammar: Used as a plural noun: legal implications are serious. Often followed by of or for: the legal implications of the decision.
Patterns
- the legal implications of something
- legal implications for someone
- have legal implications
- consider the legal implications
Before signing the contract, the company asked its lawyers to explain the legal implications.
The new privacy rules have serious legal implications for small businesses.
She studied the legal implications of sharing patient data online.
nounplurallegal
the ways in which a situation may involve the law or lead to legal action
Grammar: Often used after verbs like understand, discuss, or ignore. Can be followed by for: implications for the industry.
Patterns
- understand the legal implications
- discuss the legal implications
- the legal implications for something
The committee spent hours discussing the legal implications of the proposal.
Ignoring the legal implications of the deal could cost the company dearly.
Common combinations
- the legal implications of something
- The report examines the legal implications of the new tax.
- have legal implications
- Any change to the rules will have legal implications.
- serious legal implications
- The mistake had serious legal implications for the firm.
- consider the legal implications
- You should consider the legal implications before you act.
- legal implications for someone
- The ruling has legal implications for landlords across the country.
Synonyms and how they differ
- legal consequences
- Stronger and more often used when the result is a punishment or penalty, such as a fine or a court case.
- legal effects
- More neutral and technical; it can refer to any result in law, not only a possible problem.
Word family
- legal adjective
- allowed by law or relating to the law
- implication noun
- a possible effect or result, or something suggested without being said
- illegal adjective
- not allowed by law
Commonly confused: legal implications or implications?
legal implications vs implications
On its own, implications can mean effects in general, not only legal ones; the word legal narrows it to matters of law.
Practice
The board asked for a report on the legal ______ of the merger.
Choose one answer.
The fixed phrase is 'legal implications', and the plural fits because a merger can have several possible legal effects. 'Implication' is singular and would need a different structure; 'implicating' and 'implicated' are verb forms and do not fit after 'the legal'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “legal implications”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.