consequence
What follows actions
A consequence is what follows from an action or condition—the result, outcome, or effect.
The scandal had consequences for his career.
To face the consequences is to accept responsibility for outcomes, usually negative ones.
A person of consequence has importance or distinction; something of no consequence doesn't matter.
In consequence means as a result.
What follows a cause
- aftermathResults following an event
- upshotFinal outcome
- ramificationSecondary consequence of action
- falloutPost-blast atmospheric particles
effect · byproduct · corollary · eventuality · denouement · culmination · conclusion · aftereffect
Punishment for wrongdoing
- sanctionApproval or punitive measure
- retributionPunishment for wrongdoing
- disciplineTrained self-control or specialty
- sentenceComplete thought, grammatically
fine · forfeit · damages · restitution · chastisement · correction · deterrent · justice
Quality of mattering
- weightMeasure of heaviness
- gravityMutual mass attraction
- momentBrief period of time
- importObtain from overseas
magnitude · seriousness · relevance · substance · meaningfulness · noteworthiness · paramountcy · criticality
result
What follows a cause
- aftermathResults following an event
- upshotFinal outcome
- ramificationSecondary consequence of action
fallout · effect · byproduct · corollary · eventuality · denouement · culmination · conclusion · aftereffect · product
penalty
Punishment for wrongdoing
- sanctionApproval or punitive measure
- retributionPunishment for wrongdoing
- disciplineTrained self-control or specialty
sentence · fine · forfeit · damages · restitution · chastisement · correction · deterrent · justice · comeuppance
significance
Quality of mattering
import · magnitude · seriousness · relevance · substance · meaningfulness · noteworthiness · paramountcy · criticality · portent
spillover
Excess that escapes
- knock-onIndirect resulting effect
- cascadeSuccessive downward flow
- blowbackUnintended negative consequences
backlash · reverberation · echo · rebound · boomerang · trickle-down · contagion
- historyancient civilizations, past events, historian, epochs, era
- consequencesresult, results, effect, outcome, aftermath
- seriousnessgravity, solemnity, earnestness, gravitas, severity
- trade-offstrade-off, pros and cons, double-edged sword, mixed blessing, give and take
- tradeoffstradeoff, compromise, cost-benefit, risk-reward, give-and-take
- behavior changereinforcement, conditioning, positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, reward
consequenceinconsequence
Lack of meaningful effect
insignificance · unimportance · triviality · worthlessness · irrelevance
- accept the consequences
- unintended consequencesUnanticipated outcomes of actions
- without consequence
- legal consequencesOutcomes from breaking laws
- natural consequencesUnmanipulated results of actions
- of no consequenceLacking any significance
consequences, consequently, consequential, consequent, inconsequential, inconsequence, consequentially, inconsequent