pros and cons

American  

plural noun

1. the favorable and the unfavorable factors or reasons; advantages and disadvantages.

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pros and cons British  

plural noun

1. the various arguments in favour of and against a motion, course of action, etc

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pros and cons Idioms  

1. Arguments or considerations for and against something, as in We'd best weigh all the pros and cons before we decide to add a new wing to the library. This idiom is taken from the Latin pro for “for” and con for “against.” [Late 1500s]

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Etymology

Origin of pros and cons

C16: from Latin prō for + con, from contrā against

Example Sentences

But it gives you a framework to consider the pros and cons of, say, giving priority to a good night’s sleep over the highest possible return.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026

Charlotte Forrester owns nurseries in both Cardiff and Bath, and said she could see the pros and cons of both systems.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

The key questions: What are the pros and cons of each, and which is better — a loan or a withdrawal?

From MarketWatch • Apr. 23, 2026

Although December’s directive capped off months of uncertainty after Trump earlier in 2025 suggested he was weighing the pros and cons of a policy change, the development didn’t serve as ammunition to the stocks.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

I could hear them discussing the pros and cons of New York, Atlanta, Chicago.

From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer