plural knock-on effects
chiefly British
: an indirect or secondary effect
The heat wave has had critical knock-on effects. Surging electricity demand and stress on the power grid triggered power outages …—Umair Irfan
Over the past 12 months, asking prices [for houses] have gone up by 9.5%. This has a knock-on effect for renters. UK rents rose by 8.3% in the last three months …—theguardian.com (London)
compare domino effect, ripple effect
Cite this Entry
“Knock-on effect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knock-on%20effect. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.
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