incidental consequence

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "incidental consequence" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an outcome that occurs as a secondary effect of an action or event, rather than as a primary intention. Example: "The new policy led to several incidental consequences, including increased employee satisfaction and improved productivity."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

She points out that ecocide is rarely a crime of intent, but in most cases an incidental consequence of other policies.

The Guardian - Opinion

An incidental consequence of the fix: in the novel's life-and-death climax, Harry's thoughts turn to his father in the first version but to his mother in the corrected text.

The New York Times

The clear recent success of Amtrak's Northeast corridor rail system, and especially of the high-speed Acela trains that share it, is usually treated as an incidental consequence of the catastrophe of Sept. 11.

The New York Times

It is not clear whether HIV-1 Vif has evolved to disable A3F, and its ability to suppress A3C is merely an incidental consequence of the high degree of homology between A3C and the carboxyl-terminal domain of A3F.

Plosone

Second, dosage compensation could be an incidental consequence of titration of a transcription factor(s) required for expression of the qrr promoters.

EMBO Journal

As an incidental consequence of the trnK loss, the matk open reading frame (ORF) is not nested in the trnK intron.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

Iavor Rangelov, at the LSE Centre for the Study of Global Governance, suggests that criminal prosecutions often have incidental consequences, not least by opening up space for public debate.

The Guardian - Opinion

Under this view, anagenetic change that may be adaptive within species can have incidental consequences for species diversification or extinction, thereby generating cladogenetic trends.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Decisions made under this assumption inherently cause incidental consequences and can even create risks and threats to society, as Ulrich Beck pointed out [57].

European Journal of Futures Research

Resource use, cost, willingness to pay and incidental consequences data will be collected alongside the community-based intervention to enable economic modelling from health and social care, societal, other public service and participant perspectives.

Contemporary Clinical Trials

Collectively, these issues raise the question of the extent to which highly divergent genomic are causally important for speciation versus being incidental consequences of divergence between populations already undergoing little or no introgression [ 33].

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "incidental consequence", ensure the primary action or event is clearly stated to provide context for the secondary outcome.

Common error

Avoid using "incidental consequence" when the outcome was, in fact, a known or foreseeable result of an action. Opt for terms like "expected outcome" or "intended result" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "incidental consequence" typically functions as a noun phrase, often appearing as the subject or object of a sentence. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it denotes an outcome that arises secondarily from a primary action or policy. For example, 'the pollution of the Niger Delta by oil companies' is an incidental consequence of other policies'.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

64%

News & Media

36%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "incidental consequence" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase that describes a secondary outcome resulting from an action or event. Ludwig AI confirms its usability and provides examples from reputable sources, primarily in the science and news media sectors. When employing this phrase, be mindful of the context, ensuring it accurately represents an unintended result, and consider alternatives like "secondary effect" or "unintended outcome" for nuanced communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

secondary effect

Highlights that the consequence is not the primary result.

indirect consequence

Highlights the lack of a direct causal link.

unintended outcome

Focuses on the lack of intention behind the result; less formal.

collateral effect

Implies an indirect or less direct impact.

unforeseen repercussion

Emphasizes the unexpected and potentially negative nature of the consequence.

unanticipated fallout

Implies a negative and widespread consequence that was not expected.

ancillary result

More formal and emphasizes the supporting or subordinate nature of the result.

side effect

Often used in medical or technical contexts to denote an unintended, often adverse, result.

byproduct

Suggests the consequence is a natural result of a process.

attendant result

A more formal way of saying that the result accompanies another event or action.

FAQs

How can I use "incidental consequence" in a sentence?

You can use "incidental consequence" to describe an outcome that occurs as a side effect of an action. For example: "Increased traffic was an "incidental consequence" of the new shopping center".

What's a synonym for "incidental consequence"?

Alternatives to "incidental consequence" include "secondary effect", "unintended outcome", or "collateral effect".

Is "incidental consequence" the same as "direct consequence"?

No, "incidental consequence" refers to an unintended or secondary outcome, while "direct consequence" refers to a result that is specifically caused by a particular action or event.

When is it appropriate to use "incidental consequence" versus "side effect"?

"Incidental consequence" is more general, while "side effect" often implies a negative or adverse outcome, particularly in medical or technical contexts.