factor 1 of 2

noun (1)

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

Relevance
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

factors

2 of 2

noun (2)

plural of factor
1
as in delegates
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
2
as in components
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
Noun
Electricity expert Nelson Hernández said the climate phenomenon does have some impact, but that there are other factors too. — Catherine Ellis, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026 Recently, her driver Jason Pirro spoke with In Touch and suggested that her battle with cancer wasn’t the sole factor in her passing—the March 2025 death of her husband, Carl Dean Thomas, also played a major role. — Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 9 Oct. 2026
Noun
The other problem is that there are many other things made of metal and there are other factors that can cause the detector to give false positives. — New Atlas, 12 Oct. 2026 Nodules can be caused by a variety of factors including scar tissue, lung irritants, inflammatory conditions, current or past infections, or cancer. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 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
  • More delegates from Latin America, the Arab world and Africa could lift the number of countries represented past 60, and possibly above 70.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Authorities estimate hundreds of thousands of protesters, including students, teachers and delegates from trade unions, took to the streets on Tuesday as protests sweep the country.
    — Melissa Bell, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of delegate
Noun
  • Trump’s announcement during his second trip to Ohio in two weeks was prompted by an August presidential memorandum directing administration officials to identify a suitable location for the component repair center within 90 days.
    — Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The choices are housed in the Atelier Vivier MTO cabinet, a silver console containing the available materials and hardware, while a digital component allows clients to visualize combinations before production begins.
    — Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of component
Noun
  • The coupling of violence with law and order is ever present in the agent’s recollections, but tonally, the show feels light.
    — Stephanie Wambugu, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Its membership spans producers, executive producers, distributors, sales agents, technical and post-production firms and dubbing houses.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of agent
Noun
  • In most cases, bed and board have to be paid for, but there are a series of daily spending caps on different elements, such as food and hotel costs.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Their brand-new kits and crest, designed by former Sporting KC senior brand director Chad Reynolds, embrace Kansas City elements in designs and font.
    — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of element
Noun
  • Dori Media, which produces film and TV out of Tel Aviv, Zurich and Buenos Aires, was approached by representatives for Sphereorigin about working together on a film.
    — Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Attempts to reach representatives for Jackson were unsuccessful Wednesday.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of representative
Noun
  • Bakery products from El Nuevo Progresso bakery lacked an ingredient list for each product.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Per Degroote, who’s been in the unscripted business for over two decades, one of the key ingredients for a format’s success today lies in audience participation.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of ingredient
Noun
  • Thurman said Life Time has a contract with Freeman Health System for emergency medical services and is set to pay overtime for McDonald County Sheriff's Office deputies working to keep the race safe.
    — Glory Reitz, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026
  • One deputy was caught directly under branches and the tree's trunk, but was spared in part by the SUV obstructing the fall.
    — Erika Angulo, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of deputy
Noun
  • The finance chiefs ended the meeting without a joint communique, underscoring persistent divisions among members over the Middle East conflict, trade imbalances, and Russia's war with Ukraine.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Krantz said the suspect, a male city resident who has not yet been publicly identified, was spotted entering the school by a community member, who eventually pursued him into the school and shot him.
    — Chad de Guzman, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of member

Phrases Containing factor

Browse Nearby Words

factoids
factor
factored (in or into)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Factor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/factor. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on factor

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about factor

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of syncretic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 16
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All