Dictionary

unfavourable en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Germanic *un- Proto-West Germanic *un- Old English un- Middle English un- English un- English favourable English unfavourable From un- + favourable.

Meanings

1. (UK) Serving to hinder or oppose; adverse, disadvantageous, inconducive, unsuitable.
   • The shade of a dense pine wood, is more unfavorable to the springing up of pines of the same species than of oaks within it. 1863, Henry David Thoreau, chapter 6, in Excursions:
   • About 200 guests were invited and entertained to lunch in the so-called booking hall at Waterloo; the contractors, Spiers & Pond Limited, were much praised for organising the repast, with attendant cloak room facilities, so well in such unfavourable surroundings. 1958 August 14, T. S. Lascelles, “Diamond Jubilee of the Waterloo & City Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 523:
2. (UK) Not auspicious; ill-boding.
   • The fact that the bride went through the ceremony without her bridal bouquet is looked upon by many as an unfavorable omen. 1903, Anna Katharine Green, chapter 6, in The Filigree Ball:
   • Elizabeth was now most heartily sorry that she had, from the distress of the moment, been led to make Mr. Darcy acquainted with their fears for her sister; for since her marriage would so shortly give the proper termination to the elopement, they might hope to conceal its unfavourable beginning from all those who were not immediately on the spot. 1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter VIII, in Pride and Prejudice: […], volume III, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 148:
3. (UK) Of a belief, state of mind, etc.: not favourable; disapproving.
   • [Y]et the thing she most dreaded was to offend the gypsies, by betraying her extremely unfavourable opinion of them, [...] 1860, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], “Maggie Tries to Run Away from Her Shadow”, in The Mill on the Floss […], volume I, Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, book I (Boy and Girl), pages 208–209:
4. (UK) Of wind or weather: causing delay or obstacles; not conducive to travel or work; inclement.
   • The wind was right under the land, the tide unfavorable. 1855, Herman Melville, chapter 17, in Israel Potter:

Forms

Antonyms

providential · favourable · lucky · favourable · fortunate · charmed · fortuitous · serendipitous · freak · fortunate · sonsy · happy

Deriveds

unfavourableness · unfavourably · unfavourability

Synonyms

mischanceful · luckless · unfavourable · unpropitious · snakebit · favourable · thwart · peak · unfortunate · down on one's luck · misadventurous · unhappy · unfortunate · fortuneless · unchancy · inauspicious · wanchancy · inauspicious · ill-fated · infortunate · ill-boding · misfortuned · unlucky · hapless · ill-starred · infelicitous

Translations (35)

de ungünstig (of wind or weather: causing delay or obstacles) · nl ongunstig (of wind or weather: causing delay or obstacles) · nl niet voordelig (of wind or weather: causing delay or obstacles) · pt desfavorável (of wind or weather: causing delay or obstacles) · ota وارون (not auspicious; ill-boding) · es no/poco/nada favorable (of wind or weather: causing delay or obstacles) · fi epäsuotuisa (not auspicious; ill-boding) · bg спиращ (serving to hinder or oppose) · sh не̏пово̄љан (of wind or weather: causing delay or obstacles) · tpi nogut (of wind or weather: causing delay or obstacles) · hy աննպաստ (of wind or weather: causing delay or obstacles) · hu kedvezőtlen (serving to hinder or oppose) · bg неблгоприятен (of wind or weather: causing delay or obstacles) · bg препятстващ (serving to hinder or oppose) · fi epäsuotuisa (of wind or weather: causing delay or obstacles) · hu elítélő (of a belief or state of mind: not favourable, disapproving) · fi epäsuotuisa (serving to hinder or oppose) · gv meefoayroil (of wind or weather: causing delay or obstacles) · sh nȅpovōljan (of wind or weather: causing delay or obstacles) · ro nefavorabil (of wind or weather: causing delay or obstacles) · ca desfavorable (of wind or weather: causing delay or obstacles) · ru неблагоприя́тный (of wind or weather: causing delay or obstacles) · ca desfavorable (serving to hinder or oppose) · hu baljós (not auspicious; ill-boding) · it sfavorevole (of wind or weather: causing delay or obstacles) · hu ellenséges (of a belief or state of mind: not favourable, disapproving) · fi epäsuopea (of a belief or state of mind: not favourable, disapproving) · cs nepříznivý (of wind or weather: causing delay or obstacles) · fi epäedullinen (serving to hinder or oppose) · hu hátrányos (serving to hinder or oppose) · fr défavorable (of wind or weather: causing delay or obstacles) · hu kedvezőtlen (of a belief or state of mind: not favourable, disapproving) · hu elutasító (of a belief or state of mind: not favourable, disapproving) · hu előnytelen (serving to hinder or oppose) · bg неблагоприятен (not auspicious; ill-boding)