pros and cons

American  

plural noun

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

---

pros and cons British  

plural noun

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

---

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]

---

Etymology

Origin of pros and cons

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

Example Sentences

If the premium increases to a level that makes you uncomfortable, you will need to weigh up the pros and cons of this policy.

From MarketWatch • May 6, 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

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick discussed the pros and cons of a deal with President Trump.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

In mostly online communities, like-minded individuals discuss the latest research papers, weigh the pros and cons of therapies, and share their findings from the interventions they choose.

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

During that long summer I’d been over and over the various arguments, all the pros and cons, and it was no longer a question that could be decided by an act of pure reason.

From "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien