| Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993. |
| |
| factor (n.) |
| |
| |
| is often criticized for overuse and frequently functions as a filler or counterword. Literally, a factor is anything that contributes to a result: The rain-slicked street was a factor in the accident. Other more general substitutes tend to be longer (consideration, circumstance, characteristic, constituent, component, and the like), and of course each has a slightly different meaning. Best advice: use factor when its literal sense is called for; limit its figurative and extended uses (such as when thing will fit almost as well) to Casual and other Conversational contexts, and when you write, try to do without factor and the cliché contributing factor unless you really intend to be vague and imprecise. Instead of The restaurant’s popularity among celebrities was a contributing factor in its success, try The restaurant’s popularity among celebrities contributed something to its success, or, even better, The restaurant’s popularity among celebrities helped it succeed. | 1 |
| |
| | | The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. Copyright © 1993 Columbia University Press. |
|
|
