favorable

1 of 2

adjective

fa·​vor·​able ˈfā-v(ə-)rə-bəl How to pronounce favorable (audio)
ˈfā-vər-bəl
Synonyms of favorable
1
a
: disposed to favor : partial
taking a favorable attitude toward our request
b
: expressing approval : commendatory
The movie received a favorable review.
c
: giving a result that is in one's favor
a favorable comparison
d
: affirmative
a favorable reply
2
: winning approval : pleasing
a favorable impression
3
a
: tending to promote or facilitate : advantageous
a favorable wind
b
: marked by success
a favorable demonstration of a new invention
favorability
ˌfā-v(ə-)rə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce favorable (audio)
ˌfā-vər-
noun
favorableness noun
favorably
ˈfā-v(ə-)rə-blē How to pronounce favorable (audio)
ˈfā-vər-blē
adverb

favorableness

2 of 2

noun

fa·​vor·​able·​ness
variants or British favourableness
plural -es
: the quality or state of being favorable
pleased by the favorableness of the court's decision

Synonyms of favorable

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for favorable

favorable, auspicious, propitious mean pointing toward a happy outcome.

favorable implies that the persons involved are approving or helpful or that the circumstances are advantageous.

favorable weather conditions

auspicious applies to something taken as a sign or omen promising success before or at the start of an event.

an auspicious beginning

propitious may also apply to beginnings but often implies a continuing favorable condition.

a propitious time for starting a business

Examples of favorable in a Sentence

Adjective The new play got many favorable reviews. He was given a favorable recommendation. Early test results were favorable.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
As the plasma gets hotter, its nuclei move faster, and a greater proportion of encounters occur at energies favorable for fusion. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026 Progress on that front will be essential if the United States is to reduce its vulnerabilities to China and put itself on firmer footing to pursue a favorable coexistence. — Ali Wyne, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2026 With top freshman forward Dame Sarr set to return and a pair of high-profile 7-footers in Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje and Cameron Williams coming in as freshmen, the path forward at Duke wasn’t looking favorable. — Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 29 Oct. 2026 No injunction to block social media review Judge Hellerstein’s death would appear to be a setback to plaintiffs, which might now have to proceed before a less favorable jurist or face delays as the judge’s cases are reassigned. — Varsha Bansal, Christian Science Monitor, 29 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for favorable

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see favor entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of favorable was in the 14th century

Rhymes for favorable

See All Rhymes for favorable

Browse Nearby Words

favor
favorable
favorableness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Favorable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/favorable. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

favorable

adjective
fa·​vor·​able ˈfāv-(ə-)rə-bəl How to pronounce favorable (audio)
ˈfā-vər-bəl
1
: showing favor : approving
a favorable reply
2
: promising, advantageous
favorable weather for the fair
favorableness noun
favorably
-blē How to pronounce favorable (audio)
adverb
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