Standard Lemma guide

favourable

adj · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈfeɪv(ə)ɹəbəl/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Apt to win favour; pleasing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK

Examples

  • The candidate wearing the business suit made a favourable impression.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: good, pleasing

Antonyms: bad, displeasing, unfavorable

2

adj

Meaning 2

Expressing or indicating favour or goodwill; approving, encouraging.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK

Examples

  • The proposal has received many favourable comments.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: approving, encouraging, positive

Antonyms: disapproving, discouraging, negative, unfavourable

3

adj

Meaning 3

Useful or helpful.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK

Examples

  • We made quick progress, due to favourable winds.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: advantageous, helpful, useful, propitious

Antonyms: unfavourable, unhelpful

4

adj

Meaning 4

Convenient or at a suitable time; opportune.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK

Examples

  • The rain stopped at a favourable time for our tennis match.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: convenient, good, handy, opportune, suitable

Antonyms: bad, inconvenient, inopportune, unfavourable, unsuitable

5

adj

Meaning 5

Auspicious or lucky.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK

Examples

  • She says that she was born under a favourable star.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: auspicious, fortunate, lucky

Antonyms: inauspicious, unfavourable, unlucky

6

adjective

Meaning 6

(of winds or weather) tending to promote or facilitate

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the days were fair and the winds were favorable

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: favorable

Antonyms: none provided

7

adjective

Meaning 7

encouraging or approving or pleasing

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a favorable reply
  • he received a favorable rating
  • listened with a favorable ear
  • made a favorable impression

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: favorable

Antonyms: none provided

8

adjective satellite

Meaning 8

presaging or likely to bring good luck

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a favorable time to ask for a raise
  • lucky stars
  • a prosperous moment to make a decision

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: golden, favorable, lucky, prosperous

Antonyms: none provided

9

adjective satellite

Meaning 9

occurring at a convenient or suitable time

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an opportune time to receive guests

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: favorable

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English favourable, from Old French favorable, from Latin favōrābilis, from favor. By surface analysis, favour + -able.

Across languages

Translations

116 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: прия́тен (prijáten) — pleasing
  • Catalan: favorable — pleasing
  • Czech: příznivý — pleasing
  • Danish: fordelagtig — pleasing
  • Danish: positiv — pleasing
  • Etruscan: 𐌚𐌀𐌂𐌀 (faca) — pleasing
  • Finnish: myönteinen — pleasing
  • French: favorable — pleasing
  • Galician: favorábel — pleasing
  • Georgian: მწყალობელი (mc̣q̇alobeli) — pleasing
  • Georgian: კეთილგანწყობილი (ḳetilganc̣q̇obili) — pleasing
  • German: günstig — pleasing
  • German: gut — pleasing
  • German: gefällig — pleasing
  • Hebrew: אָהוּד (ahúd) — pleasing
  • Hindi: अनुकूल (anukūl) — pleasing
  • Irish: fabhrach — pleasing
  • Italian: favorevole — pleasing
  • Latin: secundus — pleasing
  • Latin: prosper — pleasing
  • Latin: commŏdus — pleasing
  • Māori: rorotu — pleasing
  • Middle English: favourable — pleasing
  • Polish: przychylny — pleasing
  • Polish: korzystny — pleasing
  • Polish: sprzyjający — pleasing
  • Portuguese: favorável — pleasing
  • Romanian: favorabil — pleasing
  • Russian: благоприя́тный (blagoprijátnyj) — pleasing
  • Russian: прия́тный (prijátnyj) — pleasing
  • Ukrainian: сприятливий (spryjatlyvyj) — pleasing
  • Ukrainian: приємний (pryjemnyj) — pleasing
  • German: zustimmend — expressing or indicating favour or goodwill
  • German: ermutigend — expressing or indicating favour or goodwill
  • German: beipflichtend — expressing or indicating favour or goodwill
  • German: wohlgeneigt — expressing or indicating favour or goodwill
  • Greek: ευνοϊκός (evnoïkós) — expressing or indicating favour or goodwill
  • Armenian: նպաստավոր (npastavor) — useful
  • Azerbaijani: əlverişli — useful
  • Bulgarian: изгоден (izgoden) — useful
  • Catalan: favorable — useful
  • Czech: příznivý — useful
  • Danish: gunstig — useful
  • Finnish: suotuisa — useful
  • French: favorable — useful
  • Galician: favorábel — useful
  • Georgian: სასარგებლო (sasargeblo) — useful
  • Georgian: გამოსადეგი (gamosadegi) — useful
  • Georgian: ვარგისი (vargisi) — useful
  • Georgian: მარგებელი (margebeli) — useful
  • German: günstig — useful
  • Greek: ευνοϊκός (evnoïkós) — useful
  • Hindi: उपयोगी (upyogī) — useful
  • Hungarian: kedvező — useful
  • Italian: favorevole — useful
  • Māori: rorotu — useful
  • Middle English: favourable — useful
  • Polish: sprzyjający — useful
  • Polish: korzystny — useful
  • Portuguese: favorável — useful
  • Romanian: favorabil — useful
  • Russian: благоприя́тный (blagoprijátnyj) — useful
  • Russian: благоприя́тствующий (blagoprijátstvujuščij) — useful
  • Ukrainian: сприя́тливий (spryjátlyvyj) — useful
  • Armenian: նպաստավոր (npastavor) — opportune
  • Azerbaijani: əlverişli — opportune
  • Bulgarian: благоприя́тен (blagoprijáten) — opportune
  • Chinese Mandarin: 好意 (hǎoyì) — opportune
  • Chinese Mandarin: 順利 /顺利 (shùnlì) — opportune
  • Chinese Mandarin: 有利 (yǒulì) — opportune
  • Danish: gunstig — opportune
  • Esperanto: favora — opportune
  • Finnish: sopiva — opportune
  • French: favorable — opportune
  • Galician: favorábel — opportune
  • Georgian: ხელსაყრელი (xelsaq̇reli) — opportune
  • Georgian: მოსახერხებელი (mosaxerxebeli) — opportune
  • Georgian: მარჯვე (marǯve) — opportune
  • Georgian: დროული (drouli) — opportune
  • Georgian: მწყალობელი (mc̣q̇alobeli) — opportune
  • German: günstig — opportune
  • German: passend — opportune
  • Italian: favorevole — opportune
  • Japanese: 順調な (junchō na) — opportune
  • Japanese: 好調な (kōchō na) — opportune
  • Māori: rorotu — opportune
  • Norwegian Bokmål: gunstig — opportune
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: gunstig — opportune
  • Polish: dogodny — opportune
  • Portuguese: favorável — opportune
  • Russian: благоприя́тный (blagoprijátnyj) — opportune
  • Russian: удо́бный (udóbnyj) — opportune
  • Russian: подходя́щий (podxodjáščij) — opportune
  • Spanish: favorable — opportune
  • Telugu: అనుకూలమైన (anukūlamaina) — opportune
  • Telugu: సానుకూలము (sānukūlamu) — opportune
  • Ukrainian: сприя́тливий (spryjátlyvyj) — opportune
  • Catalan: favorable — auspicious
  • Danish: lykke- — auspicious
  • Finnish: suotuisa — auspicious
  • French: favorable — auspicious
  • Galician: favorábel — auspicious
  • Georgian: ხელისშემწყობი (xelisšemc̣q̇obi) — auspicious
  • Georgian: ხელსაყრელი (xelsaq̇reli) — auspicious
  • Georgian: მოსახერხებელი (mosaxerxebeli) — auspicious
  • German: günstig — auspicious
  • Italian: favorevole — auspicious
  • Latin: faustus — auspicious
  • Latin: propitius — auspicious
  • Polish: szczęśliwy — auspicious
  • Portuguese: favorável — auspicious
  • Romanian: favorabil — auspicious
  • Russian: благоприя́тный (blagoprijátnyj) — auspicious
  • Turkish: uğurlu — auspicious
  • Ottoman Turkish: اوغورلو (uğurlu) — auspicious
  • Ottoman Turkish: میمون (maymun) — auspicious