pros and cons

plural noun

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

pros and cons

plural noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of pros and cons¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

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]

Example Sentences

Some people weigh the pros and cons and prefer to rent.

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Now the two spend their days on social media dissecting the pros and cons of every smell.

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What are the pros and cons of the president’s tendency to personalize foreign policy?

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Sitting on her bed, she sketched out a song that weighed up the pros and cons of becoming a singer.

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He said fixed penalty notices - which are already used for things such as dog fouling or illegal parking - had pros and cons.

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