unfavorable

adjective

un·​fa·​vor·​able ˌən-ˈfā-v(ə-)rə-bəl How to pronounce unfavorable (audio)
-ˈfā-vər-bəl
1
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 How to pronounce unfavorable (audio)
-ˈfā-vər-bəl
adverb

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In Wednesday’s poll, Mamdani had a higher net favorability rating (40% favorable to 36% unfavorable) than the net negative ratings of Cuomo (44% to 46%) and Adams (28% to 62%). David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 9 July 2025 The Mumsnet user then listed some recent unfavorable restaurant outings. Brian Anthony Hernandez, People.com, 6 July 2025 That’s the share of Americans who have an unfavorable view of Musk, compared to 37% who hold a positive opinion, according to a dashboard from statistician Nate Silver’s Silver Bulletin aggregating hundreds of polls on Musk. Sara Dorn, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025 The city has faced criticisms from entrepreneurs and venture capitalists that its stock market is unfavorable toward high-growth tech firms. Ryan Browne, CNBC, 3 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for unfavorable

Word History

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of unfavorable was in 1548

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unfavorable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unfavorable. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

unfavorable

adjective
un·​fa·​vor·​able ˌən-ˈfāv-(ə-)rə-bəl How to pronounce unfavorable (audio)
1
: expressing disapproval
unfavorable comments
2
: likely to make difficult or unpleasant
unfavorable weather for a camping trip
unfavorably adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on unfavorable

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