CONSEQUENCE Synonyms: 252 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'consequence' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of consequence are importance , moment , significance , and weight . While all these words mean "a quality or aspect having great worth or significance," consequence generally implies importance because of probable or possible effects. // the style you choose is of little consequence

Q: When might 'importance' be a better fit than 'consequence'?

Although the words importance and consequence have much in common, importance implies a value judgment of the superior worth or influence of something or someone. // a region with no cities of importance

Q: When is 'moment' a more appropriate choice than 'consequence'?

While in some cases nearly identical to consequence , moment implies conspicuous or self-evident consequence. // a decision of great moment

Q: When is it sensible to use 'significance' instead of 'consequence'?

The words significance and consequence are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, significance implies a quality or character that should mark a thing as important but that is not self-evident and may or may not be recognized. // the treaty's significance

Q: In what contexts can 'weight' take the place of 'consequence'?

The words weight and consequence can be used in similar contexts, but weight implies a judgment of the immediate relative importance of something. // the argument carried no weight with the judge

consequence

noun

ˈkän(t)-sə-ˌkwen(t)s

Definition of consequence

as in result

a condition or occurrence traceable to a cause the flood was an inevitable consequence of the prolonged, heavy rains

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in importance

the quality or state of being important a mistake that was of no great consequence

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in arrogance

an exaggerated sense of one's importance that shows itself in the making of excessive or unjustified claims a junior executive who strutted around the office with all of the consequence of a peacock in pinstripes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in inference

an opinion arrived at through a process of reasoning I am able to deduce several consequences from those premises

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun consequence differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of consequence are importance, moment, significance, and weight. While all these words mean "a quality or aspect having great worth or significance," consequence generally implies importance because of probable or possible effects.

the style you choose is of little consequence

When might importance be a better fit than consequence?

Although the words importance and consequence have much in common, importance implies a value judgment of the superior worth or influence of something or someone.

a region with no cities of importance

When is moment a more appropriate choice than consequence?

While in some cases nearly identical to consequence, moment implies conspicuous or self-evident consequence.

a decision of great moment

When is it sensible to use significance instead of consequence?

The words significance and consequence are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, significance implies a quality or character that should mark a thing as important but that is not self-evident and may or may not be recognized.

the treaty's significance

In what contexts can weight take the place of consequence?

The words weight and consequence can be used in similar contexts, but weight implies a judgment of the immediate relative importance of something.

the argument carried no weight with the judge

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of consequence Accurate and timely financial information can help leadership identify emerging trends, prepare for obligations and understand the financial consequences of decisions before those decisions become difficult to reverse. — Prasanna Kumar, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026 The French government has warned that buyers, as well as sellers, could face legal consequences for purchasing goods stolen during the recent looting. — Sophie Lou Wilson, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2026 The Presidential election, next May, will be of great consequence for France. — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026 While floods of images and their competing narratives have all but defined the digital age, this battleground of misinformation has had notable consequences in the region. — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 25 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for consequence

Recent Examples of Synonyms for consequence

Noun

Dividing the task between specialist biocomputing groups returned even higher results (about 80%).

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 27 Oct. 2026
There’s a lot left to get back on the right track — especially with the New York Giants figuring things out at the top of the division — but Monday’s result could serve as the launching pad for a run in the next few weeks.

— Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of result

Noun

These findings point to the importance of substantive local relationships for multinational companies.

— Margot Edelman, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
The trade association acknowledged Children’s Mercy’s importance in providing specialized pediatric care, but said ACA coverage must remain financially sustainable across Missouri’s health care system.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of importance

Noun

McVay and Snead have effectively built a culture of arrogance.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
These fascinating, illuminating episodes raise the question of whether great fiction requires the kind of single-mindedness and even arrogance that McCarthy cultivated.

— New York Times, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of arrogance

Noun

Through a partnership with Amazon Web Services , Cerebras is developing an approach called inference disaggregation, which splits the work between two types of chips.

— Paul Meeks, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
On October 1st, OpenAI resumed reinforcement learning training and internal inference with tighter security measures, the blog post says.

— Emma Roth, The Verge, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of inference

Noun

The technology’s significance extends beyond completing individual development milestones.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
Opel/Stellantis GM walked away from Opel in 2017 and American buyers rarely get a taste of modern Opel products, but the STX has significance for the broader global market.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of significance

Noun

Tampa Bay used clear superiority in its starting rotation, bullpen and late-series offense to eliminate Cleveland.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 Oct. 2026
If military superiority alone could end wars, then Afghanistan and Iraq would have been relatively easy American wins.

— Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of superiority

Noun

Along with preventing that tax increase, the law added deductions for qualifying tips and overtime pay, as well as certain auto loan interest.

— Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
This is required to meet the IRS's legal standards for taking a tax deduction on a charitable contribution.

— Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of deduction

Browse Nearby Words

consent (to)

consequence

consequences

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Style

“Consequence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/consequence. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of consequence

noun

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Synonyms of consequence

noun

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Phrases Containing consequence

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