favorable

American

[fey-ver-uh-buhl, feyv-ruh-] / ˈfeɪ vər ə bəl, ˈfeɪv rə- /

adjective

characterized by approval or support; positive.

a favorable report.
creating or winning favor; pleasing.

to make a favorable impression.
affording advantage, opportunity, or convenience; advantageous.

a favorable position.
(of an answer) granting what is desired.
boding well; propitious.

The signs are favorable for a new start.

Other Word Forms

favorableness noun
favorably adverb
nonfavorable adjective
nonfavorableness noun
nonfavorably adverb
overfavorable adjective
overfavorableness noun
overfavorably adverb
prefavorable adjective
prefavorably adverb
quasi-favorable adjective
quasi-favorably adverb

Etymology

Origin of favorable

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Middle French, from Latin favōrābilis; equivalent to favor + -able

Explanation

The word favorable describes something positive or promising, such as a two-thumbs-up movie review or the perfect conditions for golf. When things are going well, or in your favor, they’re favorable. Favorable is an adjective that describes approval or good conditions for something. If you wrote a book, you’d want the reviews to be favorable. If the weather is favorable, it's sunny out and perfect for a picnic. If you wanted to go swimming, thunderstorms would be unfavorable: they would ruin your plans. Favorable situations make us smile.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Legacy sales declined 25% due to lower demand as the company continues to decommission its copper-based network, while Latin America sales rose 21%, due in part to favorable foreign-exchange effects.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

The company cited “strong medical cost management and favorable reserve development,” though it noted those gains were impacted by higher-than-normal medical utilization.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026

Capitalizing on favorable pit position, Palou emerged from the lane just ahead of Rosenqvist.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2026

Many species also migrate seasonally to stay within favorable temperature ranges.

From Science Daily • Apr. 18, 2026

I went back home feeling very good about the hearing, but the truth was that a state postconviction hearing rarely resulted in a favorable ruling.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023