Meanings
plural knock-on effects
- UKA secondary, often unintended effect; a repercussion, chain reaction.
If a coach arrives late, it has a knock-on effect on the entire coach station.
2 more examples
There are various knock-on effects [to the international boycott of the Palestinian government]. PA [Palestinian Authority] services, particularly health and education, have deteriorated sharply because of supply shortages and strikes by workers. Much of the time hospitals have been seeing only emergency cases.
2007, March 24th, The Economist magazine, page 51The Crossrail trains were delivered on time, but there was a long software integration period. That had a knock-on effect on the other orders.
2020 September 9, Paul Clifton, “SWR unveils £1bn 'Arterios' for the "heart of our network"”, in Rail, page 26
Origin
Translations
Czech dominový efekt
- dominový efektsecondary, indirect effect
Finnish heijastusvaikutus
- heijastusvaikutussecondary, indirect effect
Italian effetto domino, effetto a catena
- effetto dominosecondary, indirect effect
- effetto a catenasecondary, indirect effect
Spanish efecto secundario, efecto llamada
- efecto secundariosecondary, indirect effect
- efecto llamadasecondary, indirect effect
Cite this entry
knock-on effect. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/knock-on%20effect
“knock-on effect.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/knock-on%20effect. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “knock-on effect,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/knock-on%20effect.
Source: knock-on effect on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.