unfavorable

adjective

un·​fa·​vor·​able ˌən-ˈfā-v(ə-)rə-bəl 

-ˈfā-vər-bəl

1

a

: opposed, contrary

reasons for being unfavorable to the proposal

b

: expressing disapproval : negative

unfavorable reviews

2

: not propitious : disadvantageous

an unfavorable business climate

3

: not pleasing

an unfavorable feature of the plan

unfavorableness noun

unfavorably

ˌən-ˈfā-v(ə-)rə-blē 

-ˈfā-vər-bəl

adverb

Synonyms of unfavorable

• negative
• adverse
• hostile

Examples of unfavorable in a Sentence

She formed an unfavorable impression of him.

the company chose to accept the unfavorable settlement rather than spend more money on legal fees

Recent Examples on the Web

The 2021 race was canceled due to COVID, then two successful races were held before the recent run of unfavorable weather. —Anthony Bettin, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026

Stalin comes in somewhat stronger, with an unfavorable rating of roughly -75% to -80%. —Stu Strumwasser, Fortune, 1 Apr. 2026

An initial opening date was scheduled for December 2025, but unfavorable weather pushed the project back approximately six months. —Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 31 Mar. 2026

The Florida and Texas metros with the highest share of stale listings are all solid buyer’s markets, where buyers have the upper hand over sellers and can negotiate lower prices as well as backing out of unfavorable deals. —Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing unfavorable

• in an unfavorable light

Rhymes for unfavorable

• favorable

Kids Definition

unfavorable

adjective

un·​fa·​vor·​able ˌən-ˈfāv-(ə-)rə-bəl 

1

: expressing disapproval

unfavorable comments

2

: likely to make difficult or unpleasant

unfavorable weather for a camping trip

unfavorably

-blē 

adverb