GG5: めりはりをきかせる modulate one's voice for effect
中辞典: めりはりを利かせる modulate one's voice for effect.

I think this entry is too problematic to keep.

past-tense inflection common, but not completely remarkable:
メリハリを効かせた	931
メリハリを効かせて	609
メリハリを効かせる	254
メリハリを効かせました	44
メリハリを効かせます	31


more-popular xref-form
メリハリの効いた	15424	42.8%
メリハリの利いた	11240	31.2%
メリハリのきいた	7345	20.4%

this form
メリハリを利かせた	427	1.2%
メリハリをきかせた	690	1.9%
メリハリを効かせた	931	2.6%

similar non-existent entry(do we want to create these?):
ドスを効かせた	494	50.8%
ドスを利かせた	365	37.5%
ドスを利かせる	114	11.7%

Added 効

This is the *only* example of a past-tense-causative verb in all of jmdict. (Advanced search: reading ends-with せた)

The consistent thing to do would be to delete this entry, and then to *possibly* create メリハリを効かせる。　メリハリを効かせる　is missing(though arguably not necessary either), and it has other uses.  

Also, I don't think this gloss is right, but I don't have the time to verify that at the moment.

Entry created