Synonyms for effective
- adjective
Most common
successful powerful competent effectual useful efficient serviceable performant US
All synonyms
Adjective
1. Efficacious
efficacious formal, effectual, competent, powerful, successful, potent, in effect, good, capable, actual, productive, active, adequate, strong, operative, smart, vigorous, energetic, able, impressive, operational, cogent
Other
efficient, useful, telling, serviceable, imposing, performant US, preformant UK, trenchant, computable
Definitions
- adj. 1
Having the power to produce a required effect or effects.
The pill is an effective method of birth control.
Related words
Example sentences
- successful Do you think the campaign was successful in Italy?
- powerful His powerful speech carried the audience with him.
- competent Could you find me a couple of competent mechanics?
- effectual Persuasion is often more effectual than force.
- useful Rocks and minerals are useful for us in many ways.
- efficient The Japanese telephone system is highly efficient.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| effective | steady | |
| successful | steady | |
| powerful | rising | |
| competent | falling | |
| effectual | falling | |
| useful | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- good1, able2
- 5 letters
- smart1
- 6 letters
- strong1, active2, actual3, useful2, potent2, cogent2
- 7 letters
- telling2, capable3
- 8 letters
- powerful3, adequate3, imposing3, vigorous3
- 9 letters
- efficient3, competent3, operative4, energetic4, trenchant2, effectual
- 10 letters
- successful3, impressive3, productive3, computable, performant, preformant
- 11 letters
- operational5, serviceable4, efficacious4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (able2 = 2 syllables).