Factors — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈfak-tər/ (noun) /ˌan-tē-ˌhē-mə-ˈfi-lik-/ (noun) /sə-ˈträ-və-rəm-/ (noun) /ˈkä-lə-nē-ˈstim-yə-ˈlā-tiŋ-/ (noun) fac·tor

Meaning & Definition of Factors

Factors (noun)

  1. one who acts or transacts business for another
  2. broker
  3. one that lends money to producers and dealers (as on the security of accounts receivable)
  4. ergonomics
  5. factor viii
  6. windchill
  7. factor IX
  8. a metabolically active form of folic acid that has been used in cancer therapy to protect normal cells against methotrexate
  9. any of several plasma components (such as fibrinogen, prothrombin, thromboplastin, and factor VIII) that are involved in the clotting of blood —called also coagulation factor
  10. any of several glycoproteins that promote the differentiation of stem cells especially into blood granulocytes and macrophages and that stimulate their proliferation into colonies in culture
  11. a polypeptide hormone that stimulates cell proliferation

Factors (verb)

  1. to work as a factor
  2. to resolve into factors
  3. to include or admit as a factor —used with in or into

Factors (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: agents, assignees, attorneys, commissaries, delegates, deputies, envoys, ministers, procurators, proxies, representatives, reps
    related: ambassadors, diplomatists, diplomats, emissaries, foreign ministers, legates, plenipotentiaries, alternates, backups, pinch hitters, reliefs, replacements, stand-ins, subs, substitutes, surrogates, understudies, informers, operatives, spies, brokers, distributors, managers, arbiters, arbitrators, compradors, conciliators, go-betweens, intercessors, intermediaries, interposers, liaisons, mediators, middlemen, peacemakers, mouthpieces, point men, point people, prophets, speakers, spokesmen, spokespeople

  2. one of the parts that make up a whole

    "price was only one factor in my decision to buy the car"

    similar: building blocks, components, constituents, elements, ingredients, members
    related: bases, part and parcels, details, items, particulars, points, aspects, characteristics, facets, features, traits, divisions, fragments, particles, partitions, pieces, portions, sections, sectors, segments, subcomponents
    opposite: wholes
    near: aggregates, composites, compounds, masses, entireties, summations, sums, totalities, totals, admixtures, amalgamations, amalgams, blends, combinations, intermixtures, mixes, mixtures

Related Entry: Factor (noun)

Factor is a different word from Factors. The synonyms below are for factor, not for factors.

  1. 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"

    similar: agent, assignee, attorney, commissary, delegate, deputy, envoy, minister, procurator, proxy, rep, representative
    related: ambassador, diplomat, diplomatist, emissary, foreign minister, legate, plenipotentiary, alternate, backup, pinch hitter, relief, replacement, stand-in, sub, substitute, surrogate, understudy, informer, operative, spy, broker, distributor, manager, arbiter, arbitrator, comprador, conciliator, go-between, intercessor, intermediary, interposer, liaison, mediator, middleman, peacemaker, mouthpiece, point man, point person, prophet, speaker, spokesman, spokesperson

  2. one of the parts that make up a whole

    "price was only one factor in my decision to buy the car"

    similar: building block, component, constituent, element, ingredient, member
    related: basis, part and parcel, detail, item, particular, point, aspect, characteristic, facet, feature, trait, division, fragment, particle, partition, piece, portion, section, sector, segment, subcomponent
    opposite: whole
    near: aggregate, composite, compound, mass, entirety, sum, summation, total, totality, admixture, amalgam, amalgamation, blend, combination, intermixture, mix, mixture

Related Entry: Factor (in or into) (verb)

Factor (in or into) is a different word from Factors. The synonyms below are for factor (in or into), not for factors.

  1. to give consideration to (as unexpected circumstances or contingencies)

    "you should factor in inflation in making investment decisions"

    similar: allow (for), consider, provide (for), regard, figure on, reckon with, take account of, take into account
    related: accommodate, adapt, adjust, condition, anticipate, contemplate, envisage, expect, foresee, assume, presume, presuppose, plan, calculate, face
    opposite: discount, disregard
    near: factor (out)

Related Entry: Factors (in or into or out) (verb)

Factors (in or into or out) is a different word from Factors. The synonyms below are for factors (in or into or out), not for factors.

  1. as in allows (for), figures in

    similar: allows (for), deducts, figures in, calibrates, gauges, measures, scales, figures out, solves (for), calculates, ciphers, computes, figures, reckons, works out, quantifies, quantitates, counts, itemizes, numbers, adds up, averages, sums, tallies, totalizes, totals, adds, divides, multiplies, subtracts, appraises, assesses, estimates, evaluates, rates, values, recalculates, recomputes, refigures

Related Entry: Factors (out) (verb)

Factors (out) is a different word from Factors. The synonyms below are for factors (out), not for factors.

  1. as in discounts, disregards

    similar: discounts, disregards
    opposite: allows (for), considers, factors (in or into), provides (for), regards, accommodates, adapts, adjusts, conditions, anticipates, contemplates, envisages, expects, foresees

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Factors

The most common words with a similar meaning to Factors:

agents, assignees, attorneys, commissaries, delegates, deputies, envoys, ministers, procurators, proxies, representatives, reps, building blocks, components, constituents, elements, ingredients, members

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Factors

Words with the opposite meaning of Factors:

wholes

Related Words for Factors

ambassadors, diplomatists, diplomats, emissaries, foreign ministers, legates, plenipotentiaries, alternates, backups, pinch hitters, reliefs, replacements, stand-ins, subs, substitutes, surrogates, understudies, informers, operatives, spies, brokers, distributors, managers, arbiters, arbitrators, compradors, conciliators, go-betweens, intercessors, intermediaries

Near Antonyms of Factors

aggregates, composites, compounds, masses, entireties, summations, sums, totalities, totals, admixtures, amalgamations, amalgams, blends, combinations, intermixtures, mixes, mixtures

Word Forms of Factors

Inflections: factored, factoring

Derived words: factorship (noun), factorable (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Factors

Middle English factour "doer, perpetrator, commercial agent," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin factor "maker, creator, perpetrator" (Medieval Latin, "commercial agent, broker"), from fac-, stem of facere "to make, bring about, perform, do" + -tor, agent suffix fact

First known use: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Factors

Words & Phrases Containing Factors

human factors

Frequently Asked Questions about Factors

What does "Factors" mean?

"Factors" means one who acts or transacts business for another. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: one who acts or transacts business for another. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Factors"?

Other words for "Factors" include agents, assignees, attorneys, commissaries, delegates, deputies, envoys and ministers. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Factors" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Factors"?

There are 81 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Factors". Common alternatives include agents, assignees, attorneys, commissaries, delegates, deputies, envoys, ministers, procurators and proxies.

What is the opposite of "Factors"?

Antonyms of "Factors" include wholes. Near antonyms include aggregates, composites, compounds and masses.

How do you use "Factors" in a sentence?

Examples of "Factors" in a sentence: "at the auction the high bidder for the painting was actually a factor for a wealthy art collector"; "price was only one factor in my decision to buy the car".

Is "Factors" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Factors" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Factors" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Factors"?

"Factors" is pronounced /ˈfak-tər/ as a noun, /ˌan-tē-ˌhē-mə-ˈfi-lik-/ as a noun, /sə-ˈträ-və-rəm-/ as a noun and /ˈkä-lə-nē-ˈstim-yə-ˈlā-tiŋ-/ as a noun and divided into syllables as fac·tor.