What does "effectuate" mean?

To cause, bring about (an event); to accomplish, to carry out (a wish, plan etc.).

What is a synonym for "effectuate"?

Common synonyms include: effect, abide by, accomplish, achieve, act, adhere to.

verb

verb ·4 syllables ·Moderate ·College level

Verb

1
To cause, bring about (an event); to accomplish, to carry out (a wish, plan etc.). transitive
"[T]he next necessary step was to elude the vigilance of my guard: and in this manner did I effectuate my purpose."
2
produce wordnet

"[T]he next necessary step was to elude the vigilance of my guard: and in this manner did I effectuate my purpose."

From the participle stem of Renaissance Latin effectuare, or its source, Latin effectus (“effect”); probably after Middle French effectuer.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.