What does consequence mean?
Consequence is a noun denoting a result or effect — the thing that happens because something else happened first. When we say an action has consequences, we usually mean outcomes that follow naturally and often unavoidably, whether good or bad, though in casual speech the word leans toward negative results, as in 'face the consequences.' A second, more formal sense treats consequence as importance or significance: a person 'of consequence' matters, while something 'of no consequence' is trivial. The word derives from Latin consequentia, from consequi, meaning 'to follow closely,' which explains why consequence always implies a tight link between cause and effect. It appears constantly in ethics, law, science, and everyday reasoning about responsibility and causation, making it essential vocabulary for discussing how actions ripple outward into results.
Something that logically or naturally follows from an action, decision, or set of conditions; a result or effect.
"The consequence of his negligence was a serious accident."
Frequently used with verbs like face, suffer, bear, or accept when referring to negative outcomes.
Importance or significance, especially in formal or literary contexts.
"It was a decision of considerable consequence."
Usually found in fixed phrases such as 'of consequence' or 'of no consequence'; less common in everyday speech.
The plural is standard and very common, particularly in phrases like 'face the consequences' where multiple results are implied.
"The consequences of the merger were felt across every department."
Every choice you make writes its own consequence — and the word itself literally means 'what follows along with' in Latin.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of consequence
Consequence comes from Latin consequentia, meaning 'a following after,' formed from the verb consequi ('to follow along with'), itself built on sequi ('to follow') plus com- ('with, together'). The word entered English in the late Middle Ages through French and scholarly Latin usage, initially in logical contexts describing what necessarily follows from a premise before broadening to cover general cause-and-effect relationships. Its relatives include sequence, sequel, and consequent, all tracing back to the same Latin root sequi.
Related word forms
How consequence is actually used
Consequence carries a neutral-to-negative connotation; in everyday speech it most often implies an undesirable result, though logically any effect can be a consequence. In formal writing, 'as a consequence of' is slightly more formal than 'because of', and 'in consequence' is chiefly British.
Easily confused with consequence
Subsequence refers to something that follows later in time or an ordered series that follows another, whereas consequence refers to the result or effect brought about by an action.
Sequence denotes an ordered arrangement of things, while consequence denotes the outcome produced by a cause.