favorable

[ fey-ver-uh-buhl, feyv-ruh- ]

adjective

1. characterized by approval or support; positive:

   a favorable report.

2. creating or winning favor; pleasing:

   to make a favorable impression.

3. affording advantage, opportunity, or convenience; advantageous:

   a favorable position.

4. (of an answer) granting what is desired.
5. boding well; propitious:

   The signs are favorable for a new start.

Other Words From

• favor·a·ble·ness noun
• favor·a·bly adverb
• non·favor·a·ble adjective
• non·favor·a·ble·ness noun
• non·favor·a·bly adverb
• over·favor·a·ble adjective
• over·favor·a·ble·ness noun
• over·favor·a·bly adverb
• pre·favor·a·ble adjective
• pre·favor·a·bly adverb
• quasi-favor·a·ble adjective
• quasi-favor·a·bly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of favorable¹

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

Example Sentences

On a scale of 1 to 100, with 100 being most favorable, views of China are at 32 on average, down from 45 two years ago and from a high of 53 in 1986.

From Washington Post

The poll shows 47 percent of likely voters have a favorable opinion of Harrison, while 44 percent say the same of Graham.

From Washington Post

By the spring of 2018, the NLRB’s then-new general counsel, Peter Robb, reached a settlement viewed as favorable to McDonald’s and its franchisees.

From ProPublica

Speaking of polarization, a handful of the post-convention polls also asked respondents how strongly favorable or unfavorable they felt toward the two nominees.

From FiveThirtyEight

Additionally, the more favorable cancelation options have alleviated some hesitancy among advertisers at committing to spend millions of dollars.

From Digiday

Even if you look at that in the most favorable light possible, it was not accurate.

From The Daily Beast

All the while they racked up favorable coverage in the mainstream press, and even more sycophantic mentions in the gay press.

From The Daily Beast

The risk-benefit math becomes less favorable for the older patient.

From The Daily Beast

This is a new spin on a GOP scheme to create a more favorable Republican playing field for the 2016 presidential election.

From The Daily Beast

He signed a commercial deal favorable to South Korea and reached out to Vietnam following recent territorial disputes.

From The Daily Beast

This has a warm though a thin soil, which must be highly favorable to the Vine to induce so exclusive a devotion to it.

From Project Gutenberg

Prima facie, the verdict here is less favorable than in the previous case.

From Project Gutenberg

It therefore took under favorable consideration the question of a voluntary clearing system.

From Project Gutenberg

And our surroundings at that particular moment were not the most favorable to coherent thought or plausible theory-building.

From Project Gutenberg

The last three days hadn't been exactly favorable to a normal state of mind, or well-considered speech.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• appropriate
• beneficial
• benign
• convenient
• encouraging
• fair
• helpful
• pleasant
• pleasing
• suitable
• useful