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Definition of side effect noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

side effect

noun
 
/ˈsaɪd ɪfekt/
 
/ˈsaɪd ɪfekt/
 [usually plural]
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  1. an extra and usually bad effect that a drug has on you, as well as curing illness or pain
    • The drug has few side effects.
    • Side effects include skin rashes and nausea.
    Extra Examples
    • The medication can have adverse side effects on the patient.
    • The patient suffered severe side effects from the drug.
    • The treatment has some unfortunate side effects.
    Topics Healthcareb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • common
    • possible
    • potential
    • …
    verb + side effect
    • cause
    • have
    • produce
    • …
    preposition
    • side effect from
    • side effect of
    • side effect on
    • …
    See full entry
  2. an unexpected result of a situation or course of action that happens as well as the result you were aiming for
    • Opponents of the policy fear that it could have unfortunate side effects on the economy.
    Topics Change, cause and effectc1
See side effect in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee side effect in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: side effect

Nearby words

alloy
noun
 
 
From the Topic
Physics and chemistry
C2
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