indirect impact

USAGE SUMMARY

'indirect impact' is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to describe an influence that is not a direct result of something, but a consequence of it. For example, "The increase in the cost of living had an indirect impact on people's health as it caused them to buy cheaper, less nutritious food."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

That's a clear indirect impact".

The Guardian

There is indirect impact, too.

The Guardian

Cloher also spoke of Bowie's indirect impact on her as a queer artist.

The Guardian - Music

Taxing bad food choices at best can have only an indirect impact on health.

The New York Times

It also found an indirect impact from the messages: friends of friends were influenced as well.

The New York Times

These types of questions are now being asked to explore the possible indirect impact of food production shocks.

The Guardian

"We discovered that soy had an indirect impact on deforestation because of the land reselling effect," Weisser explains.

The Guardian

But he added that the indirect impact of a market panic would be much more significant.

The New York Times

Furthermore, war can have a substantial indirect impact on human welfare beyond the direct loss of life.

Britannica

And for some things on the federal level that have an indirect impact on citizens, it's a lack of accountability.

The Washington Post

The results show that IT has a direct and indirect impact on FP.

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When analyzing complex situations, consider and explicitly state the "indirect impact" to provide a more complete understanding of potential consequences. For instance, instead of only discussing direct effects of a policy, elaborate on how it may affect related systems or populations.

Common error

Avoid simply mentioning that something has an "indirect impact" without providing specifics or attempting to estimate its magnitude. Whenever possible, try to quantify or qualify the "indirect impact" by explaining its scope, scale, or relative importance.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "indirect impact" functions as a noun phrase, often serving as the object of a verb or the complement of a preposition. As Ludwig AI states, it describes an influence that is not a direct result of something, but rather a consequence.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

36%

Science

46%

Formal & Business

18%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Academia

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "indirect impact" is a versatile term used to describe consequences that aren't immediately obvious, but rather unfold through secondary effects or related systems. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and frequently appears across diverse sources, including news outlets, scientific literature, and business reports. Usage analysis indicates that the phrase is most commonly found in the fields of science and media. When using this phrase, it is most effective to provide specifics and quantifications to give the audience a better grasp on the magnitude of the impact being referenced. By acknowledging these less obvious influences, we can get to the bottom of complex situations and communicate better.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

secondary effect

Focuses on the consequence being a second-order result.

knock-on effect

Emphasizes a chain reaction of consequences.

ripple effect

Highlights the spreading, widening consequences.

collateral consequence

Suggests an unintended or unexpected result.

downstream effect

Indicates a consequence occurring later in a process.

ancillary influence

Emphasizes the supporting or additional nature of the influence.

consequential impact

Highlights the significance of the impact as a result.

side effect

Focuses on an additional, often unintended, outcome.

implication

Suggests a conclusion that can be drawn from something, which is not explicitly stated.

unintended consequence

Highlights the unplanned or unforeseen results of an action.

FAQs

How can I use "indirect impact" in a sentence?

The phrase "indirect impact" is used to describe an effect that is not a direct result of something, but a consequence of it. For example: "The new policy had an "indirect impact" on employee morale".

What are some alternatives to saying "indirect impact"?

You can use alternatives like "secondary effect", "knock-on effect", or "ripple effect" depending on the context.

What's the difference between "direct impact" and "indirect impact"?

"Direct impact" refers to the immediate and easily observable consequences, while "indirect impact" refers to consequences that occur later or through other factors. The "knock-on effect" is a good example of indirect impact.

Is "indirect impact" the same as "unintended consequence"?

While related, they aren't identical. "Indirect impact" broadly refers to secondary or less obvious effects, while "unintended consequence" specifically refers to results that were not planned or foreseen.