n.
1 constituent, ingredient, element, part, particular, piece, component; circumstance, consideration, aspect, fact, influence, determinant, cause:
Which factors contributed to the decline of Mayan civilization?
2 agent, representative, proxy, middleman, intermediary, deputy, go-between:
Our company has a factor handling all our exports.
3 banker, financier, backer, moneylender, lender:
The factors lent us money to buy the stock needed to fill the orders.
noun
ADJ.
important, main, major, relevant, significant
one of the most significant factors
| critical, crucial, deciding, decisive, determining, key, vital
This is regarded as the crucial factor in deciding who should get priority. Money proved to be the deciding factor.
| contributing, contributory
Poor organization was certainly a contributory factor to the crisis.
| complicating, distorting
A complicating factor is her parents' refusal to cooperate with the police.
| limiting | mitigating
The appeal judges spoke of strong mitigating factors in the case.
| aggravating | additional | single
The closure of the mine was the single most important factor in the town's decline.
| common
Look for the common factor in all these cases.
| external, extraneous, extrinsic
External factors in the production of disease include pollution of the environment.
| internal, intrinsic | causal, causative | risk
Studies have established that smoking is a risk factor for cancer.
| contextual, demographic, economic, environmental, genetic, political, psychological, situational, social
VERB + FACTOR
consider, take into account
A variety of other factors will be taken into account.
| depend on
FACTOR + VERB
be involved, operate
the contextual factors which operate to hinder understanding
| affect sth, be responsible for sth, contribute to sth, determine sth, influence sth, precipitate sth, predispose sb/sth to sth
environmental factors which predispose children to middle-ear infections
| constrain sth, inhibit sth, militate against sth
one of the factors that influenced his decision
| interact
looking at how economic and social factors interact
| include sth
PREP.
~ behind
the main factors behind the dollar's weakness
| ~ in
a key factor in the decision
PHRASES
a combination/number/range/variety of factors
The outcome will depend on a number of factors.
Random quote: A weed is no more than a flower in disguise.: James Lowell
Latest queries: convene, evinced, anatolia, acute, hold back, bandmaster, slacking, modernism, wind, deviate, esquire, airplay, overdrive, restore, portcullis, density, muse, unseat, resourcefulness, factor,