Standard Lemma guide

effectively

adv · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɪˈfɛktɪvli/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Northeastern, US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: IH0 F EH1 K T IH0 V L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: IY1 F EH0 K T IH0 V L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

In an efficient or effective manner; with powerful effect.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adv

Meaning 2

Essentially, in effect, for all practical purposes.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • On paper, the answer seems to be yes, but, effectively, the answer is no.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adverb

Meaning 3

in actuality or reality or fact

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • she is effectively his wife
  • in effect, they had no choice

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: in effect

Antonyms: none provided

4

adverb

Meaning 4

in an effective manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • these are real problems that can be dealt with most effectively by rational discussion

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: efficaciously

Antonyms: ineffectively

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h1éǵh Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h1éǵhs Proto-Italic *eks Latin ex Latin ef- Proto-Indo-European *dheh1- Proto-Indo-European *dheh1k- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *dhh1kyéti Proto-Italic *θakjō Proto-Italic *fakjō Latin faciō Latin efficiō Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus Latin effectīvusbor. French effectifder. English effective Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly English -ly English effectively From effective + -ly.

Across languages

Translations

34 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: efektivně — in an efficient or effective manner; with powerful effect
  • Finnish: tehokkaasti — in an efficient or effective manner; with powerful effect
  • Finnish: vaikuttavasti — in an efficient or effective manner; with powerful effect
  • French: efficacement — in an efficient or effective manner; with powerful effect
  • German: effektiv — in an efficient or effective manner; with powerful effect
  • German: wirksam — in an efficient or effective manner; with powerful effect
  • Hungarian: hatékonyan — in an efficient or effective manner; with powerful effect
  • Hungarian: hathatósan — in an efficient or effective manner; with powerful effect
  • Hungarian: eredményesen — in an efficient or effective manner; with powerful effect
  • Italian: efficacemente — in an efficient or effective manner; with powerful effect
  • Latin: potenter — in an efficient or effective manner; with powerful effect
  • Norman: êfficacement — in an efficient or effective manner; with powerful effect
  • Portuguese: efetivamente — in an efficient or effective manner; with powerful effect
  • Portuguese: eficazmente — in an efficient or effective manner; with powerful effect
  • Russian: эффекти́вно (effektívno) — in an efficient or effective manner; with powerful effect
  • Serbo-Croatian: učinkòvito — in an efficient or effective manner; with powerful effect
  • Serbo-Croatian: djȅlotvōrno — in an efficient or effective manner; with powerful effect
  • Serbo-Croatian: ȅfikasno — in an efficient or effective manner; with powerful effect
  • Slovene: učinkovito — in an efficient or effective manner; with powerful effect
  • Spanish: efectivamente — in an efficient or effective manner; with powerful effect
  • Swedish: effektivt — in an efficient or effective manner; with powerful effect
  • Yiddish: עפֿעקטיוו (efektiv) — in an efficient or effective manner; with powerful effect
  • Dutch: daadwerkelijk — essentially
  • German: tatsächlich — essentially
  • Hungarian: tényleg — essentially
  • Hungarian: ténylegesen — essentially
  • Hungarian: valóban — essentially
  • Portuguese: efetivamente — essentially
  • Serbo-Croatian: u suštini — essentially
  • Serbo-Croatian: pràktički — essentially
  • Serbo-Croatian: pràktično — essentially
  • Serbo-Croatian: ȅsencijālno — essentially
  • Slovene: praktično — essentially
  • Swedish: i själva verket — essentially
Real reading context

effectively in complete knowledge articles