repercussion
8 synonyms and 0 antonyms for repercussion, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A bad result of an action or event, usually one that arrives later and indirectly. Usually plural.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
A bad result of an action or event, usually one that arrives later and indirectly. Usually plural.
“Nobody thought through the repercussions of closing the only bank in town.”
How to Use Repercussion
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Neutral to formal. Almost always negative — you would not normally speak of happy repercussions.
Etymology
From Latin repercussio, from repercutere 'to strike back', from re- 'back' plus percutere 'to strike'.
Full origin of repercussion →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between repercussion and consequence?
A consequence is any result, good or bad, and often immediate. A repercussion is specifically an unwelcome knock-on effect that spreads outward or turns up later. Winning the lottery has consequences; the tax bill two years on is a repercussion.
What is the difference between repercussions and ramifications?
Ramifications are the branching complications of a decision and can be neutral — they are about complexity. Repercussions are about harm rebounding on someone. A merger has ramifications for the org chart and repercussions for the staff who lose their jobs.