pro
gb/pɹˈoʊ/ us/pɹˈoʊ/
B1
English
~ 800
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
A highly skilled person
A person who is very good at something, often because it is their job.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a pro at [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'pro' with 'pro-' as a prefix meaning 'in favor of'; these are unrelated in this sense.
Synonyms
expert (More formal; emphasizes knowledge and mastery rather than just practical skill.)
|
professional (Often interchangeable, but can also refer to someone who does something as a job regardless of skill level.)
Antonyms
amateur (Refers to someone who does something for pleasure rather than for pay, often with less skill.)
Collocations
turn pro
|go pro
|tennis pro
|pro athlete
|hire a pro
Themes
work
|sports
|skills
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She's a real pro when it comes to public speaking.
- After years of training, he finally turned pro.
- We hired a pro to paint the house.
- That move was executed like a true pro.
- The young golfer hopes to become a pro one day.
Learner examples
- My brother is a pro at cooking.
- She is a tennis pro.
- He wants to be a golf pro.
- We need a pro to fix the car.
Noun
B1
entity
2
An advantage or benefit
A good thing about something.
Usage pattern:
the pros and cons of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may mistakenly use 'pro' in singular without context; usually appears in 'pros and cons' or lists.
Synonyms
benefit (More formal; emphasizes the helpful result of something.)
|
advantage (Highlights the favorable position or condition gained.)
Antonyms
con (The negative aspect when comparing options.)
Collocations
pros and cons
|list the pros
|weigh the pros
Themes
decision-making
|evaluation
|core_vocabulary
|business
|daily_life
Examples
- We discussed the pros and cons of moving abroad.
- One of the pros of this job is the flexible schedule.
- Cost is a big pro for choosing this option.
- Let's list all the pros before deciding.
- The main pro is that it's easy to use.
Learner examples
- There are many pros to living in the city.
- One pro of my job is good pay.
- We wrote down the pros and cons.
- A big pro is that it is near my home.
preposition
B2
relation
3
In favor of something
Supporting an idea, action, or person.
Usage pattern:
pro [idea/person/action]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this use with 'professional'; here it means 'in favor of'. Also, it’s usually used before nouns rather than full sentences.
Synonyms
for (More common in everyday speech; 'pro' is often used in more specific or formal contexts.)
Antonyms
anti (Direct opposite, meaning against or opposed to something.)
Collocations
pro choice
|pro democracy
|pro environment
Themes
opinions
|politics
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She is strongly pro education reform.
- The senator is pro healthcare for all.
- I'm not anti technology, but I'm not entirely pro either.
- He voted pro the new policy.
- They formed a group that is pro animal rights.
Learner examples
- I am pro free education.
- He is pro animal rights.
- She is pro clean energy.
- They are pro peace.
Grammar
Dictionary form
pro
IPA
GB/pɹˈoʊ/
US/pɹˈoʊ/
Syllables & stress
pro (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (pro)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: pro
- Plural: pros
Word family
Forms
pros
noun
Core family
Negative and opposite forms
unprofessional
adjective
amateur
noun B1
Advanced or less common
professionalism
noun B2
Expressions
like a pro
1/lˈaɪk ə pɹˈoʊ/
fixed phrase
informal
With great skill
To do something very well, like an expert.
Examples
- She handled the interview like a pro.
- He cooks like a pro.
go pro
1/ɡˈoʊ pɹˈoʊ/
fixed phrase
informal
Start working for pay in a field
To start doing something as your paid job instead of as a hobby.
Examples
- After winning several tournaments, she decided to go pro.
- He went pro as a photographer last year.
go pro
2/ɡˈoʊ pɹˈoʊ/
fixed phrase
Become a paid professional
To start doing a sport or activity as your job instead of just for fun.
Examples
- After winning several tournaments, he decided to go pro.
- Many young athletes dream of going pro.
pros and cons
1/pɹˈoʊz ˈænd kˈɑnz/
fixed phrase
Advantages and disadvantages together
The good and bad parts of something.
Examples
- We need to weigh the pros and cons before making a decision.
- We listed the pros and cons of moving abroad.
- She listed the pros and cons of buying a car.
- Before buying the car, think about its pros and cons.