unintended consequence

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English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Popularized by sociologist Robert K. Merton.

Noun[edit]

unintended consequence (plural unintended consequences)

  1. (originally sociology, in the plural) An outcome of a purposeful action that is not intended or foreseen.
    • 2019 May 4, Bret Stephens, “Facebook’s Unintended Consequence”, in The New York Times‎[1], →ISSN:
      Over the past several years we’ve learned a lot about the unintended consequences of social media. Platforms intended to bring us closer together make us angrier and more isolated.

See also[edit]

Further reading[edit]

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