consequence、result、effect与outcome这些名词均含“结果”之意。
consequence : 多指随某一事件引起的，必然或自然的不良结果，不强调直接的因果关系，而侧重事件发展的逻辑关系。
- Not making a will can have serious consequences for your children and other family members.
不立遗嘱可能会给你的子女或者家庭其他成员带来严重后果。 - Scientists think it is unlikely that any species will actually become extinct as a consequence of the oil spill.
科学家们认为实际上不太可能会有什么物种因为石油泄漏而灭绝。
result : 普通用词，含义广泛，侧重因某种原因所产生的最终结果，而不是眼前的结果。
- The road has been widened, but the result is just more traffic.
道路被拓宽，但结果车流量却更大了。 - His broken leg is the direct result of his own carelessness.
他自己的粗心大意直接导致他摔断了腿。
effect : 指因某种原因直接产生的结果，着重持续稳定与其影响。
- The radiation leak has had a disastrous effect on/upon the environment.
核辐射泄漏给环境带来了灾难性的影响。 - I tried taking tablets for the headache but they didn't have any effect.
我试着吃了几片药，但头疼一点都没有减轻。
outcome : 普通用词，多指事物经过一系列发展变化所导致的最终结局，而不是某种原因的直接结果。常可与result通用。
- It's too early to predict the outcome of the meeting.
现在预言会议的结果还为时过早。 - We are waiting to hear the final outcome of the negotiations.
我们在等待谈判的最终结果。
