in effect
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
Having a particular effect or result
Literally: in operation or action
Register: neutral
Examples
The new policy is in effect as of next month
AI-drafted example auto-approved by rule (illustrative, not a corpus attestation)
Sources & notes
Everyday learner phrase (CEFR C1); level cross-referenced from published learner lists. Definition pending editorial review. Definition drafted by AI (@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast) and auto-approved by rule on 2026-08-01; pending editor spot-check.
Common questions
What does “in effect” mean?
Having a particular effect or result Literally: in operation or action
Is “in effect” formal or informal?
in effect is generally neutral.