in effect
For all purposes
In effect means essentially or for practical purposes—describing what something amounts to even if not officially stated: The policy is, in effect, a ban on new construction.
It can also mean currently operative or active: The curfew remains in effect until further notice.
The phrase bridges the gap between technical status and practical reality.
Nearly but not quite
- practicallyAlmost but not quite
- basicallyAt the most essential level
- substantiallyTo a significant degree
- fundamentallyAt the core level
more or less · as good as · for all intents and purposes · in practice · in essence · all but · nearly · almost
In operation now
- enforceableAble to be upheld
- bindingLegally or morally required
- validLegally or logically sound
- operationalReady to function
functional · working · applicable · current · prevailing · in force · enacted · implemented
virtually
Nearly but not quite
- practicallyAlmost but not quite
- basicallyAt the most essential level
- substantiallyTo a significant degree
fundamentally · more or less · as good as · for all intents and purposes · in practice · in essence · all but · nearly · almost · approximating
active
In operation now
- enforceableAble to be upheld
- bindingLegally or morally required
- validLegally or logically sound
operational · functional · working · applicable · current · prevailing · in force · enacted · implemented · established
- phrasesnoun phrases, noun phrase, verb phrase, prepositional phrase, prepositional phrases
- summariessummary, synopsis, summaries, abstract, abstracts
- approximationsabout, approximately, around, roughly, almost
- operationaloperational, functioning, working, running, active
in effectin name only
Officially but not actually
nominally · on paper · officially · technically · in theory
in effectsuspended
Halted or hanging temporarily
inactive · inoperative · void · null and void · terminated
in effectliterally
In exact terms
strictly speaking · precisely · exactly · to the letter · word for word
ineffective, ineffectual, ineffectiveness, ineffectually, ineffectuality