in effect

adjective

Operating or functioning; in force; in play.

“Until the new guidelines come out, the old rules are still in effect.”

Similar
standingeffectivelyat bottomat heartau fondbasicallyby definitiondeep down
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Meanings

adjectivein effect (not comparable)
  1. not comparableOperating or functioning; in force; in play.

    Until the new guidelines come out, the old rules are still in effect.

    Synonyms: standing

adverbin effect (not comparable)
  1. not comparableFor all practical purposes; in practice; actually; essentially; basically.

    2007, The Guardian, Aug 21 2007, George Monbiot. Separated from the rest of Heathrow, this would, in effect, be a second airport.

    Synonyms: effectively, at bottom, at heart, au fond, basically, by definition, deep down, essentially

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveOperating or functioning; in force; in play.

Similar
standing

adverbFor all practical purposes; in practice; actually; essentially; basically.

Similar
effectivelyat bottomat heartau fondbasicallyby definitiondeep downessentiallyfundamentallyin essencein the endin the final analysissubstantiallyultimately

More synonyms by meaning

adjectiveexerting force or influence

Similar
effectivegoodin forceoperative

adverbin actuality or reality or fact

Similar
effectively
Also see
effectiveeffectivelyessentiallyfor all intents and purposesfundamentallygoodin forceoperativeto all intents and purposesultimately

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Finnish voimassa, oikeastaan
  • voimassaoperating or functioning; in force; in play
  • oikeastaanfor all practical purposes
  • käytännössäfor all practical purposes
French en pratique
  • en pratiquefor all practical purposes
German effektiv
  • effektivfor all practical purposes
Irish i bhfeidhm, déanta na fírinne
  • i bhfeidhmoperating or functioning; in force; in play
  • déanta na fírinnefor all practical purposes
Latin effectū
  • effectūfor all practical purposes
Polish w mocy, obowiązuje
  • w mocyoperating or functioning; in force; in play
  • obowiązujeoperating or functioning; in force; in play
  • aktualnyoperating or functioning; in force; in play
  • ważnyoperating or functioning; in force; in play
  • w istociefor all practical purposes
  • w rzeczywistościfor all practical purposes
  • w praktycefor all practical purposes
  • faktyczniefor all practical purposes
Spanish en efecto, en efecto
  • en efectooperating or functioning; in force; in play
  • en efectofor all practical purposes
Thai มีผลบังคับใช้, มีผลใช้บังคับ
  • มีผลบังคับใช้ (mii-pǒn-bang-káp-chái)operating or functioning; in force; in play
  • มีผลใช้บังคับ (mii-pǒn-chái-bang-káp)operating or functioning; in force; in play
Cite this entry
APA

in effect. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20effect

MLA

“in effect.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20effect. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “in effect,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20effect.

Source: in effect on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.