What does result mean?
A result is an outcome that follows from an action, process, or set of circumstances. As a noun, it commonly refers to the consequence of doing something: a decision, experiment, investigation, or other process may produce a result that reveals what happened or supports a conclusion. It can also mean a score achieved in a test, match, or competition. As a verb, “result” usually appears in the construction “result in” followed by an outcome: a change in policy resulted in lower costs. The word is neutral and widely used in formal, professional, academic, and everyday contexts. Its distinction from “cause” is important: a result is what follows from an event, while a cause helps bring that event about. Although “result” can suggest a final conclusion, it may also refer to an intermediate outcome that becomes the starting point for further inquiry.
An outcome, consequence, or effect produced by an action, process, or situation.
"The outcome of the vote was decisive."
The phrase “a result of” is commonly used to identify a cause or source of an outcome.
To occur or follow as an outcome or consequence.
"The delayed flight resulted in missed connections."
The verb is usually followed by “in” and a noun phrase or gerund.
The plural is used when referring to multiple outcomes, conclusions, scores, or findings.
"The team published the results of its survey."
The word result began with an image of a ball rebounding: it comes from Latin resilire, meaning “to leap back.”
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does result come from?
The English word derives from Latin resultus, the past participle of resilire, meaning “to leap back” or “rebound.” The prefix re- indicated a backward movement, and salire meant “to leap.” In Latin, the term came to refer to something that springs or follows from another thing, and English initially adopted it in the sense of a consequence or outcome. Its longer history is reflected in related English words such as resilient and resilience, which preserve the idea of springing back.
Related word forms
How result is actually used
The noun is common in formal and informal contexts. The phrase “as a result” is especially frequent in explanatory writing, while “result in” is commonly followed by a noun phrase or gerund, as in “resulted in delays.” The word “result” can also mean a test or competition score, especially in British English.
Easily confused with result
To result is to bring about an outcome, whereas to resent is to feel bitter or indignant about something.
A result is an outcome, while to resolve is to settle a problem or determine a course of action.