student asking question

What's the difference between "aftereffect" and "side effect"?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

“Aftereffect” refers to what occurs after a primary action has taken place, i.e. the consequences or repercussions of something. The speaker has used “aftereffects” here to refer to how the consequences of the storm will affect people even after it has occurred. Ex: The aftereffects of the pandemic will affect people for years. Ex: The aftereffects of a divorce often impact the children greatly. “Side effects” is a different term, meaning a secondary, usually negative, effect of a medicine or medical treatment. It isn’t normally used in non-medical contexts. Ex: The side effects of this medicine include nausea and vomiting. Ex: I didn’t experience any side effects when I got my flu shot.

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