Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Producing or sufficient to produce a desired effect. synonym: effective.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Producing an effect, or the effect desired or intended; also, loosely, having adequate power or force to produce the effect: as, the means employed were effectual.
  • True; veracious.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Producing, or having adequate power or force to produce, an intended effect; adequate; efficient; operative; decisive.
  • adjective (Theol.) a doctrine concerning the work of the Holy Spirit in producing conviction of sin and acceptance of salvation by Christ, -- one of the five points of Calvinism. See Calvinism.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Producing the intended result; entirely adequate.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective producing or capable of producing an intended result or having a striking effect
  • adjective having legal efficacy or force

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English effectuel, from Old French, from Late Latin effectuālis, from Latin effectus, result, effect; see effect.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

effect +‎ -al

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Examples

  • Based on interviews and case studies with successful U.S. entrepreneurs and executives at large corporations, Sarasvathy found that master entrepreneurs rely on what she calls effectual reasoning.

    NYT > Home Page By FREAKONOMICS 2011

  • God that he would make the word effectual to the salvation of the soul; still being grieved lest the enemy should take the word away from the conscience, and so it should become unfruitful: wherefore I have labored so to speak the word, as that thereby, if it were possible, the sin and person guilty might be particularized by it.

    The Riches of Bunyan Jeremiah Rev. Chaplin

  • That God would open to us a door of utterance, that is, either afford opportunity to preach the gospel (so he says, a great door and effectual is opened to me, 1 Cor.xvi. 9), or else give me ability and courage, and enable me with freedom and faithfulness; so

    Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume VI (Acts to Revelation) 1721

  • The power of corruption being broken in effectual calling, and the guilt of sin removed in justification, all that which hinders is taken out of the way, and nothing can come between that soul and glory.

    Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume VI (Acts to Revelation) 1721

  • If we would have the word effectual and saving, we must mind and observe every passage of Scripture.

    The Ten Commandments 1692

  • When I have been in preaching, I thank God my heart hath often all the time of this and the other exercise, with great earnestness cried to God that He would make the word effectual to the salvation of the soul; still being grieved lest the enemy should take the word away from the conscience, and so it should become unfruitful: wherefore I should labour to speak the word, as that thereby, if it were possible, the sin and person guilty might be particularized by it.

    Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners Bunyan, John, 1628-1688 1666

  • When I have been in preaching, I thank God my heart hath often all the time of this and the other exercise, with great earnestness cried to God that He would make the word effectual to the salvation of the soul; still being grieved lest the enemy should take the word away from the conscience, and so it should become unfruitful: wherefore I should labour to speak the word, as that thereby, if it were possible, the sin and person guilty might be particularized by it.

    Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners John Bunyan 1658

  • 9 For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.

    Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume VI (Acts to Revelation) 1721

  • In the declaration of the state of corrupted nature after the fall, and before the reparation of it by the grace of Jesus Christ, -- that is, the effectual operation of the Holy Spirit, -- the Scripture principally insists on three things: [90] -- 1.

    Pneumatologia 1616-1683 1967

  • Even granting that the administration of these measures might be made effective and effectual, which is more than doubtful, we see that they are based upon a complete ignorance or disregard of the most important fact in the situation -- that of indiscriminate and irresponsible fecundity.

    The Pivot of Civilization Margaret Sanger 1924

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