consequential

adjective

con·​se·​quen·​tial ˌkän(t)-sə-ˈkwen(t)-shəl How to pronounce consequential (audio)
1
: of the nature of a secondary result : indirect
insurance against consequential loss
2
: consequent
oversupply and the consequential plummeting prices
3
: having significant consequences : important
a grave and consequential event
consequential decisions
4
consequentially adverb
consequentialness noun

Did you know?

Consequential dates from the 17th century and can be traced back to the Latin verb consequi, meaning "to follow along." Consequi, in turn, combines the prefix con-, meaning "through" or "with," and sequi, meaning "to follow." The English words sequel, second, and suitor are among the offspring of sequi. Henry Fielding's 1728 comedy Love in Several Masques introduced the meaning of "important" to consequential, which had until that point been used primarily in the context of results. Evidence for this usage declined temporarily in the 19th century, causing its acceptability to be questioned by such commentators as H. W. Fowler; it resurfaced in the 20th century, however, and is now considered standard.

Examples of consequential in a Sentence

There have been several consequential innovations in their computer software. The change to the schedule is not consequential.
Recent Examples on the Web Although conceptually there are mixed attitudes toward government regulation, there is an overwhelming consensus for prompt regulation in specific scenarios such as data privacy, the use of algorithms in consequential decision-making, facial recognition, and autonomous weapons systems. Carlos Ignacio Gutierrez, IEEE Spectrum, 7 Mar. 2024 Space, as a consequential working environment for humans, remains an illusion. George Dvorsky / Gizmodo, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2024 One important caveat here is that anger and fear are consequential emotional triggers that can be used unethically in marketing. Leslie Poston, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The appeal to prestige rock’s premier empath worked: The footage from that consequential 13-minute meet-up is fascinating. Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2024 Barnes frames these things as distractions from more consequential stories on political and economic misdeeds. Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 24 Feb. 2024 Matthew Loeb is heading into what is likely to be the most consequential negotiation of his 16-year tenure to date as international president of IATSE. Gene Maddaus, Variety, 1 Mar. 2024 The election for the Assembly of Experts could prove consequential, given its role in naming the next supreme leader. Farnaz Fassihi, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024 Often, at the forefront of that rewiring stand family business that can have the operational flexibility to make highly consequential decisions with limited board approval. Radu Magdin, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'consequential.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin consequentiālis, from Latin consequentia "succession of events, consequence" + -ālis -al entry 1

First Known Use

1626, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of consequential was in 1626

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Dictionary Entries Near consequential

Cite this Entry

“Consequential.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consequential. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

consequential

adjective
con·​se·​quen·​tial ˌkän(t)-sə-ˈkwen-chəl How to pronounce consequential (audio)
1
2
: having important consequences

Legal Definition

consequential

adjective
con·​se·​quen·​tial ˌkän-si-ˈkwen-chəl How to pronounce consequential (audio)
: of the nature of an indirect or secondary result

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