result
result
Pronunciation
/rɪˈzʌlt/.
First Syllable: /rɪ/
/r/: Voiced alveolar approximant
/ɪ/: Near-close near-front unrounded vowel (as in "kit")
Second Syllable: /ˈzʌlt/
/z/: Voiced alveolar sibilant
/ʌ/: Near-open central unrounded vowel (as in "strut")
/l/: Voiced alveolar lateral approximant
/t/: Voiceless alveolar plosive
Word Form Variations
As a Noun:
Singular: result (e.g., "The result of the election was announced.")
Plural: results (e.g., "We are awaiting the results of the tests.")
As a Verb:
Base form (Infinitive): result (e.g., "To result in success.")
Third-person singular present: results (e.g., "This approach results in better outcomes.")
Past simple: resulted (e.g., "The rain resulted in widespread flooding.")
Past participle: resulted (e.g., "The problems have resulted from poor planning.")
Present participle (Gerund): resulting (e.g., "The resulting chaos was immense.")
Other Related Forms:
Adjective: resulting (e.g., "The resulting damage was extensive.") - While "resulting" is primarily a present participle, it often functions adjectivally.
Adjective (less common, more technical): resultative (e.g., "A resultative verb expresses the result of an action.") - This is a more grammatical term.
Adverb: resultantly (e.g., "He failed to study, and resultantly, failed the exam.") - Derived from "resultant" which is another adjective form.
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: A consequence or outcome that naturally follows from a particular action, process, or event. It represents what has been achieved or produced.
Synonyms: outcome, consequence, effect, aftermath, product, upshot, conclusion, fruit
Antonyms: cause, origin, source, beginning, impetus, root
Definition 2 (often in plural): The specific data, findings, or scores obtained from a test, experiment, competition, or effort.
Synonyms: findings, scores, figures, data, returns, performance
Antonyms: (Context-dependent, but often implied lack of data or completion)
Verb
Definition 1 (intransitive, usually with "in"): To happen or arise as a direct effect or consequence of something else; to lead to a specific outcome.
Synonyms: lead to, cause, bring about, give rise to, culminate in, eventuate in, stem from (when used with "from")
Antonyms: originate from, cause, prevent, hinder, precede, initiate
Definition 2 (intransitive, usually with "from"): To be caused or produced by something; to proceed or spring from a particular source.
Synonyms: stem from, arise from, originate from, derive from, proceed from, be caused by
Antonyms: cause, produce, create, generate, instigate
Adjective
Definition: (Often as "resulting") Being the immediate or ultimate product or consequence of a particular action or process.
Synonyms: consequent, subsequent, ensuing, emergent, resultant, derivative
Antonyms: causative, primary, initial, preceding, original
Adverb
Definition: (Often as "resultantly") As a consequence; for this reason or as an effect.
Synonyms: consequently, therefore, thus, hence, accordingly, as a result
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for adverbs of consequence, as they describe a relationship rather than an opposite state. One might consider adverbs of cause or initiation if trying to frame an opposite concept, e.g., "initially," "originally.")
Examples of Use
Books:
"The first rule of any sufficiently advanced technology is that it is indistinguishable from magic. The second rule of any sufficiently advanced technology is that it results in more advanced technology." (Adapted from Arthur C. Clarke's "Profiles of the Future", 1962)
"She waited for the results of the blood test with a knot in her stomach, dreading what they might reveal."
Newspapers:
"Preliminary election results indicate a clear victory for the incumbent party." ( The Daily Nation)
"The government's new economic policies are expected to result in a significant decrease in unemployment by year-end." ( The Standard)
Online Publications:
"A recent study resulted in the discovery of a new species of deep-sea fish, highlighting the ocean's uncharted biodiversity." ( National Geographic Online)
"The search results for 'sustainable living' on Google Trends show a steady increase in interest over the past five years." ( TechCrunch)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "The shocking plot twist was a direct result of the protagonist's earlier moral compromise." (Analysis of a hypothetical thriller film)
Television Series: "This week's challenge resulted in a surprising elimination from the cooking competition." (Dialogue from a reality TV show)
Video Games: "Your choices throughout the game will directly result in one of several possible endings." (In-game text or tutorial for an RPG)
Music: "The song's melancholic tone is a result of the artist's personal struggles during its creation." (Music review on Pitchfork)
General Public Discourse:
"I hope our efforts result in a better community for everyone." (Statement during a local town hall meeting)
"The severe traffic on the highway was a result of the unexpected road closure." (Everyday conversation)
"What were the results of the football match yesterday?" (Casual conversation)
10 Quotes Using Result
"There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure." (Colin Powell)
"Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort." (John Ruskin)
"Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming." (John Wooden)
"Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result." (Winston Churchill)
"Our life always expresses the result of our dominant thoughts." (Soren Kierkegaard)
"Change is the end result of all true learning." (Leo Buscaglia)
"If fighting is sure to result in victory, then you must fight, even though the ruler forbid it; if fighting will not result in victory, then you must not fight even at the ruler's bidding." (Sun Tzu)
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." (Often attributed to Albert Einstein, though its origin is debated)
"The achievements of an organization are the results of the combined effort of each individual." (Vince Lombardi)
"Your life is a result of the choices you have made. If you don't like your life, start making better choices." (Zig Ziglar)
Etymology
The word "result" has a pretty lively history! It comes from the idea of something literally "jumping back" or "bouncing back."
Here's a breakdown:
Ancient Roots: The journey of "result" starts with the Latin word "salire," which means "to jump" or "to leap."
Adding "Back": Then, the Latin prefix "re-" (meaning "back" or "again") was added, creating "resilire," which meant "to rebound" or "to spring back." This is actually where we get the word "resilient" from!
Frequent Action: From "resilire" came "resultare," a "frequentative" form. This means it emphasized the action happening repeatedly or continuously, so "resultare" meant "to keep rebounding" or "to spring forward." In Classical Latin, it still had this literal sense of bouncing back.
Shift in Meaning (Medieval Latin): During the Medieval Latin period, the meaning started to shift. Instead of just a physical bounce, "resultare" began to be used figuratively to mean "to happen as a consequence" or "to arise from." This was a crucial step towards its modern meaning.
First Use in English: English borrowed the word from this Medieval Latin "resultare." The earliest known use of "result" as a verb in English was around before 1425, appearing as "resulten" in Middle English. At this time, its meaning was "to occur as a result, or to arise as a consequence of facts, arguments, etc." So, it was already being used in the sense of one thing following another logically.
Noun Form: The noun form of "result" came a bit later, in the early 1600s. Initially, it even kept the obsolete sense of "an action of leaping or springing back," but quickly developed the meaning we know today: "outcome, effect, or consequence."
Phrases + Idioms Containing Result
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "result":
As a result: Consequently; therefore. (e.g., "He studied hard, and as a result, passed the exam.")
Result in: To lead to; to cause. (e.g., "Poor planning often results in failure.")
Result from: To be caused by. (e.g., "His illness resulted from lack of sleep.")
Bottom-line result: The final, definitive outcome, often in terms of profit or loss.
The end result: The final outcome after a process or series of events.
To get results: To achieve desired outcomes or success.
To show results: To demonstrate success or effectiveness.
With no result/without result: Without achieving the desired outcome; in vain.
Positive/Negative results: Favorable or unfavorable outcomes.
To accept the results: To acknowledge and move forward based on the outcome, whether good or bad.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of result from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
