Effective typically describes things—such as policies, treatments, arguments, and techniques—that do what they are intended to do. People can also be described as effective when they accomplish what. EFFECTIVE definition: 1.
Understanding the Context
successful or achieving the results that you want: 2. (used about a treatment or drug) working.. Learn more. The adjective effective describes things that are adequate to accomplish a purpose, or that produce the intended or expected result.
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Key Insights
But effective isn’t quite the same as effectual, efficacious, or efficient! Effective and efficient are often confused, but they have slightly different meanings. If you are effective, you do a job properly; if you are efficient, you do it quickly and easily. Definition of effective adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
Final Thoughts
Jan 20, 2026 · Adjective effective (comparative more effective, superlative most effective) Having the power to produce a required effect or effects. Effective, effectual, efficacious, efficient refer to that which is able to produce a (desired) effect. Effective is applied to that which has the power to, or which actually does, produce an effect: an effective. Effective refers to successfully producing a desired or intended result, functioning efficiently or adequately, or having an intended or expected outcome. It emphasizes the capability of producing a. Effective means having a particular role or result in practice, though not officially or in theory.
They have had effective control of the area since the security forces left.
