Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

domino effect

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.22 in modern English

Syllables: domi-no -ef-fect
IPA

23

Scrabble Score

12

Letters

4

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The situation in which one event sets off a chain of additional events.

noun

The theory that, if South Vietnam became communist, it would be followed by Cambodia, Laos, and additional countries in Southeast Asia and beyond.

Example Sentences

"While the move has, for now, calmed fears of a repeat of a 2008-style domino effect, the merger has left Switzerland with a new megabank on Paradeplatz square."

Etymology

An allusion to a row of dominoes in which the fall of one leads to a cascade of falling pieces.

Inflected Forms

domino effects (plural)

Phrases

butterfly effect demonstration effect ripple effect slippery slope snowball effect

Frequently Paired Words

butterfly effect demonstration effect ripple effect slippery slope snowball effect

Synonyms

domino theory

Questions

What does domino effect mean?: The situation in which one event sets off a chain of additional events.
Where does domino effect come from?: An allusion to a row of dominoes in which the fall of one leads to a cascade of falling pieces.

How to pronounce domino effect

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