Phrase guide

ripple effect

noun · 1 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.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The circumstance in which one event instigates an expansive set of other events.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Defaults in America's mortgage lending businesses are causing a ripple effect through the major banks in other continents.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

An analogy to the spreading ripples on a body of water after an object has struck the surface.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 漣漪效應 /涟漪效应 (liányīxiàoyìng) — one event instigating a set of other events
  • Czech: řetězová reakce — one event instigating a set of other events
  • Finnish: heijastusvaikutus — one event instigating a set of other events
  • German: Welleneffekt — one event instigating a set of other events
  • Italian: effetto onda — one event instigating a set of other events
  • Korean: 파급 효과 (pageup hyogwa) — one event instigating a set of other events
  • Polish: efekt domina — one event instigating a set of other events