pros and cons

American

plural noun

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

pros and cons British

plural noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

pros and cons Idioms

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

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

A day after the vote, Miles told BBC Wales he "didn't contribute to the pros and cons in the debate because the government's position on the bill is neutral".

From BBC

“There is really a very vibrant, active debate inside the country about the pros and cons of U.S. military intervention and what is the best pathway to transition away from this regime,” said Ali Vaez, director of the Iran project at the International Crisis Group, a think tank.

From The Wall Street Journal

But, for smaller companies whose AI offerings are their raison d’être, there are pros and cons of the new era.

From The Wall Street Journal

What are the pros and cons of having private companies at the helm of lunar missions?

From The Wall Street Journal

Instead, Harrell said, scrutinize how the area did in every category so you’ll understand its pros and cons.

From MarketWatch

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