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 …

Sep 11, 2023 · The adjectives effective and affective look and sound similar, but one of these words is much more commonly used than the other. In this article, we will break down the …

EFFECTIVE definition: 1. successful or achieving the results that you want: 2. (used about a treatment or drug) working…. Learn more.

Definition of effective adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

When something such as a law or an agreement becomes effective, it begins officially to apply or be valid. The new rules will become effective in the next few days.

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.

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: …

Aug 28, 2025 · Adjective effective (comparative more effective, superlative most effective) Having the power to produce a required effect or effects.

There are 17 meanings listed in OED's entry for the word effective, five of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

The adjective effective has many shades of meaning, but you'll usually see it describing something that's able to produce a desired goal. Effective traces back to the Latin word …