efficacious

USAGE SUMMARY

'efficacious' is a correct and usable word in written English.
It means producing a desired effect, so it is used to describe something that is very effective in a certain situation - something that helps bring positive results. Example sentence: "The new financial program has already proven to be highly efficacious in increasing the company's profits."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The question was whether the actual grace of the will that infallibly produces a meritorious act of will is efficacious by itself, or whether instead its efficaciousness is explained in part by God's knowledge that the recipient would cooperate with the grace.

SEP

Causal Efficacy: In this argument, Malebranche begins by noting that ideas are causally efficacious 'since they act upon the mind and enlighten it' and 'make it happy or unhappy through pleasant or unpleasant perceptions by which they affect it' (3.2.6, OC 1 442; LO 232).

SEP

He said it was "less efficacious for the real economy than most people suppose".

The New York Times

Appeals to patriotism were efficacious both with regard to the original issue in 1917 and to the conversion in 1932.

The Guardian - Business

The letter by Belton, Caroline de Costa of James Cook university and Andrea Whittaker of Monash university said there is "overwhelming medical evidence showing that early medical abortions are efficacious, safe and well-accepted".

The Guardian

Reid, for ­instance, writes of how often he and his wife passed each other on the stairs: While the innumerable air kisses we exchanged in passing remain suspended to this day, each one an efficacious blessing.

The Guardian - Books

It, too, had been tested for safety in previous trials, but none of those trials were designed to see if it was also efficacious.

The Economist

However, regulators should be encouraged to also use more effectively the other tools in their toolboxes, many of which may be even more efficacious than capital, and when added to sound capital rules make for a truly sound regulatory platform.

The Economist

Both the "severity" of sentencing and the "certainty" (or lack of it) of getting caught and convicted have an effect on crime and imprisonment rates; one cannot be efficacious in the absence of the other.

The Economist

What better way to have a trial run for delivering an AIDS vaccine, if and when one turns up, than to build a truly efficacious network for distributing hepatitis B vaccine?

The Economist

He points out that conventional medicines must be shown to be both safe and efficacious before they can be licensed for sale.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "efficacious" when you want to emphasize that something is not only effective, but also highly capable of producing the desired result in a specific or challenging situation.

Common error

Avoid using "efficacious" in casual conversation or informal writing, as it can sound overly formal or pretentious. Opt for simpler alternatives like "effective" or "successful" in such settings.

Linguistic Context

The word "efficacious" primarily functions as an adjective. It modifies nouns to describe their capability of producing a desired result or effect. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a correct and usable term, evidenced by numerous examples across diverse sources.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

39%

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

26%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "efficacious" is a grammatically correct adjective that highlights the capability of something to produce a desired effect, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. While commonly used, its formality leans towards academic, scientific, and professional settings. When opting to use the word in writing be mindful of the context and audience formality level, and remember that synonyms such as "effective" and "successful" may be more appropriate for informal contexts. It appears most frequently in Science, News & Media, and Formal & Business contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

effective

More commonly used and general, lacking the formal tone of "efficacious".

effectual

Similar in meaning but less frequently used; implies a guaranteed or certain effect.

successful

Focuses on achieving a positive outcome, implying a broader sense of accomplishment than "efficacious".

productive

Emphasizes the creation of output or results, not necessarily the effectiveness of those results.

fruitful

Suggests abundance and positive yield, carrying a more figurative connotation.

potent

Highlights strength and capacity to produce an effect, often used in scientific or medical contexts.

instrumental

Highlights a crucial role in achieving an outcome.

advantageous

Emphasizes the benefit or favorable nature of something.

serviceable

Focuses on fulfilling a specific function or purpose adequately.

operative

Implies being in effect or actively working to produce a result.

FAQs

How to use "efficacious" in a sentence?

The word "efficacious" describes something capable of producing a desired effect. For example, "The new medicine proved to be "efficacious" in treating the disease".

What can I say instead of "efficacious"?

You can use alternatives like "effective", "successful", or "potent" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "efficacious" or "effective"?

"Efficacious" and "effective" are both correct, but "efficacious" implies a higher degree of effectiveness or a specific capability to produce a desired result, while "effective" is more general.

What's the difference between "efficacious" and "efficient"?

"Efficacious" means capable of producing a desired effect, while "efficient" means achieving maximum productivity with minimum wasted effort or expense. An action can be "efficient" but not "efficacious" if it doesn't produce the desired result, and vice versa.