X factor
An unknown or hard-to-define influence; a factor with unknown or unforeseeable consequences.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Her unique voice is the X factor that makes her a star.”
“The team played well, but their new captain provided the X factor that led them to victory.”
“While the candidate possessed all the necessary technical qualifications, it was his undeniable charisma that served as the decisive X factor during the final interview.”
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factor in
To consider as a factor.
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factor space
A space obtained from another by identification of points that are equivalent to one another in some equivalence relation.
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fudge factor
A quantity introduced to compensate for uncertainty.
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gut factor
The emotional dimension of decision-making. A person's subjective (often almost visceral) feelings about what is right or wrong, good or bad.
Last updated August 10, 2026