factor

noun

ˈfak-tər How to pronounce factor (audio)
Definition of factornext
1
as in delegate
a person who acts or does business for another at the auction the high bidder for the painting was actually a factor for a wealthy art collector

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in component
one of the parts that make up a whole price was only one factor in my decision to buy the car

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of factor The factors that wear down a pipe’s structural integrity include soil compaction and water table variables, Soibelman said. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2026 All of these factors reduce the likelihood that an average cancer patient in Nigeria survives after their diagnosis. — Durrie Bouscaren, NPR, 25 July 2026 User behavior, not the network, is the bigger factor for an individual traveler. — Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 25 July 2026 That gap is why sleep scientists are pushing organizations to build flexibility into schedules and policies, so chronotype becomes a factor in how work gets designed rather than a personal quirk to manage alone. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for factor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for factor
  1. delegate
  2. component
  3. agent
  4. element
  5. representative
  6. ingredient
  7. deputy
  8. member
Noun
  • The delegates were elected at county party meetings last weekend.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026
  • Every other year, the sleepy Hampshire town of Farnborough explodes in cosmopolitan confusion as exhibitors, delegates, industrial giants, politicians, media, and visitors estimated at 120,000 descend over a five-day period.
    — David Szondy July 23, New Atlas, 23 July 2026
Definition of delegate
Noun
  • Beyond reducing component counts, the approach broadens supply chain options, speeds manufacturing, and provides greater flexibility when increasing output.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 July 2026
  • Doing so helps lubricate seals and keeps refrigerant circulating through the system, reducing the chance that components dry out during long periods of inactivity.
    — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 20 July 2026
Definition of component
Noun
  • His body was found two days later, on July 6, facedown in the water off the shoreline of Horn Island by a National Park Service agent.
    — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • With Agentic Mode, the interface is hidden, and the agent can only use the logins and one-time passcodes explicitly approved for the current task.
    — Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 18 July 2026
Definition of agent
Noun
  • Instead of crowding your entryway with a table, bench and coat rack, consider getting a piece that combines those elements, says Lynch.
    — Andee Tagle, NPR, 19 July 2026
  • Electronic warfare is increasingly becoming a critical element of modern military operations, where forces must rapidly detect, identify and counter hostile electromagnetic emissions while protecting friendly communications.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 19 July 2026
Definition of element
Noun
  • Three candidates are vying to represent southeast Olathe as the state representative for Kansas’ 78th district.
    — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2026
  • Each of the representatives will receive a $15,000 grant from MLS to support their organization.
    — Alex Zietlow July 25, Charlotte Observer, 25 July 2026
Definition of representative
Noun
  • Skyroot will need a lot more funding to realize that dream, but Saturday’s launch showed the company has ingredients required for a successful launch company.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 19 July 2026
  • Fresh cream, valued for its rich butterfat content, is the most expensive ingredient in ice cream.
    — Isabelle LaBianco, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
Definition of ingredient
Noun
  • Outside of the president, no one in Washington has more input in crafting ICE’s strategy than White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller, White House border czar Tom Homan, and DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
    — Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 19 July 2026
  • In Venezuela, the US left Maduro’s government in place under the control of his deputy, Delcy Rodríguez; the country was forced to open up its oil and mining to US investors, but not to democratise.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 19 July 2026
Definition of deputy
Noun
  • There is arguably no greater example of the players’ power than in 2020 when members of the Atlanta Dream wore T-shirts endorsing then-Democratic candidate Raphael Warnock who at the time was running against Loeffler.
    — Annie Costabile, New York Times, 24 July 2026
  • On July 14, council member Meredith Stead pointed to two neighborhood associations in her district — one in favor of the designation, the other strongly opposed.
    — Mark Dee July 24, Idaho Statesman, 24 July 2026
Definition of member

Phrases Containing factor

Browse Nearby Words

factoids
factor
factored (in or into)
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Cite this Entry

“Factor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/factor. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on factor

Nglish: Translation of factor for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about factor

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