externality
noun
ex·ter·nal·i·ty
ˌek-ˌstər-ˈna-lə-tē 
plural externalities
1
: the quality or state of being external or externalized
2
: something that is external
3
: a secondary or unintended consequence
pollution and other externalities of manufacturing
Examples of externality in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The best argument in opposition has less to do with the choice of pastime per se than with its externalities.
—
David B. McGarry, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2025
Big environmental impacts like global greenhouse gas emissions can feel abstract, but for the people living near big cattle operations, the externalities from these facilities are anything but.
—Sam Delgado, Vox, 17 Mar. 2025
The wealth stored in that home can vanish in an instant, and rebuilding takes years—and even then, the rebuilding process could be subject to changes in the environment, legal and regulatory decisions, and other externalities.
—Dave Birnbaum, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
This is where the administration doesn’t do a good job taking externalities into account.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for externality
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David B. McGarry, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2025
Big environmental impacts like global greenhouse gas emissions can feel abstract, but for the people living near big cattle operations, the externalities from these facilities are anything but.
—Sam Delgado, Vox, 17 Mar. 2025
The wealth stored in that home can vanish in an instant, and rebuilding takes years—and even then, the rebuilding process could be subject to changes in the environment, legal and regulatory decisions, and other externalities.
—Dave Birnbaum, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
This is where the administration doesn’t do a good job taking externalities into account.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for externality
Cite this Entry
“Externality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/externality. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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