pro

Pluralpros

1. 1
   expertnouncolloquialcountable

   A professional, especially an athlete who competes for pay, or anyone highly skilled at something.

   She handled the angry customers like a pro.

   Leave the wiring to the pros. It isn't worth the risk.

   UsageCommon in like a pro (very skillfully) and leave it to the pros.

   Similarprofessional, expert, veteran, master, ace

   Oppositeamateur, novice, beginner

2. 2
   in favorpreposition

   In favor of; supporting.

   The mayor is pro development, as long as the new buildings include affordable housing.

   She's not exactly pro the plan, but she won't vote against it.

   UsageFollowed directly by a noun or noun phrase, often without an article (pro development). Often contrasted with anti or against.

   Similarfor

   Oppositeanti

   Note

   This is the Latin preposition still at work, the same prō that lies behind the "advantage" noun. Its natural opposites are against and anti, so it thrives in talk about where someone stands, as when a council member is pro development and a neighbor is against it. Source

   Checked 3 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

   • English pro meaning 'in favor of' derives from the Latin preposition prō. en.wiktionary.org
   • The noun pro meaning 'advantage' derives from the same Latin prō. en.wiktionary.org
3. 3
   advantagenouncountable

   An advantage of something, especially one weighed against its disadvantages.

   The biggest pro of working from home is skipping the commute.

   We spent an evening listing the pros and cons of moving to the suburbs.

   UsageMostly in the pair pros and cons, in that order. Either half can stand alone: the biggest pro.

   Similaradvantage, plus, upside

   Oppositecon, disadvantage, downside, minus

   Note

   Latin prō, "on behalf of", became an English noun, and it lives mostly in the fixed pair pros and cons, a weighing of what speaks for a thing against what speaks against it. Advantage, plus and upside are its plainer neighbors. Source

   Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

   • The English noun pro derives from Latin prō, meaning “on behalf of”. en.wiktionary.org
4. 4
   not amateuradjective

   Working, done or played for pay, or of the standard expected of a paid expert.

   After the knee injury, he never played pro football again.

   She landed a pro gig editing videos for a travel company.

   Similarprofessional

   Oppositeamateur

5. 5
   in favornouncountable

   Someone who supports a particular idea or principle.

   Ask any pro and you'll hear that the stadium will bring jobs; ask an anti and you'll hear about traffic and noise.

   When the council proposed a new highway, the town split into pros and antis who refused to share a table at meetings.

   UsageUsually plural, paired with antis: the pros and the antis.

   Similarsupporter, advocate, proponent

   Oppositeanti

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