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

Thomas Hitzlsperger: All of last season's top four have pros and cons but Arsenal finally have the striker they have been looking for, they didn't have the Fifa Club World Cup in the summer, plus the manager has been there for so long and has set the tone so we know what to expect from them.

From BBC

"I sat down and discussed the pros and cons with my family, and after three weeks everyone said yes," Parker says.

From BBC

Instead, it would "help you think it through - asking questions, weighing pros and cons", according to the blog post.

From BBC

But there are pros and cons for each team - namely whether either of the Premier League sides are actually in a position to sign him.

From BBC

Instead of laying out the pros and cons with an explanation of the analytical methods by which the medical research community reached its current consensus, the FDA panel instead presented “world-renowned experts” who spoke only of alleged risks of SSRIs—risks based on flawed studies—and cast doubt on depression itself as a matter for medical concern.

From Slate