Effective typically describes things—such as policies, treatments, arguments, and techniques—that do what they are intended to do. People can also be described as effective when they accomplish what …

EFFECTIVE definition: 1. successful or achieving the results that you want: 2. (used about a treatment or drug) working…. Learn more.

The adjective effective describes things that are adequate to accomplish a purpose, or that produce the intended or expected result. But effective isn’t quite the same as effectual, efficacious, or efficient!

Effective and efficient are often confused, but they have slightly different meanings. If you are effective, you do a job properly; if you are efficient, you do it quickly and easily.

Definition of effective adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

When something such as a law or an agreement becomes effective, it begins officially to apply or be valid. The new rules will become effective in the next few days.

From Longman Business Dictionary ef‧fec‧tive /ɪˈfektɪv/ adjective 1 working well and producing the result or effect that was wanted or intended The company mounted a very effective publicity campaign.

Effective, effectual, efficacious, efficient refer to that which is able to produce a (desired) effect. Effective is applied to that which has the power to, or which actually does, produce an effect: an effective …

There are 17 meanings listed in OED's entry for the word effective, five of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

'Effective' describes actions, methods, or strategies that produce the desired results, emphasizing their capacity to bring about a specific effect or impact in a reliable and efficient manner.