favor

American  

[fey-ver] / ˈfeɪ vər /

especially British, favour

noun

• favors
  plural

1. something done or granted out of goodwill, rather than from justice or for remuneration; a kind act.

   to ask a favor.

2. friendly or well-disposed regard; goodwill.

   to win the favor of the king.

   Antonyms:

   malice, animosity

3. the state of being approved or held in regard.

   to be in favor at court; styles that are now in favor.

4. excessive kindness or unfair partiality; preferential treatment.

   to treat some people with favor and others with neglect.

5. a gift bestowed as a token of goodwill, kind regard, love, etc., as formerly upon a knight by his lady.

   Synonyms:

   present

6. a ribbon, badge, etc., worn in evidence of goodwill or loyalty, as by an adherent of a political party.

7. a small gift or decorative or festive item, as a noisemaker or paper hat, often distributed to guests at a party.

8. Usually favors. sexual intimacy, especially as permitted by a woman.

9. Archaic. a letter, especially a commercial one.

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verb (used with object)

1. to regard with favor.

   to favor an enterprise.

   Synonyms:

   sanction, countenance, approve

   Antonyms:

   disapprove

2. to prefer; treat with partiality.

   The father favored his younger son.

3. to show favor to; oblige.

   The king favored him with an audience.

   Synonyms:

   patronize, encourage

4. to be favorable to; facilitate.

   The wind favored their journey.

5. to deal with, treat, or use gently.

   to favor a lame leg.

6. to aid or support.

   He favored his party's cause with ample funds.

   Synonyms:

   assist, help

7. to bear a physical resemblance to; resemble.

   to favor one's father's side of the family.

idioms

1. in one's favor, to one's credit or advantage.

   All the comments were in your favor.

2. in favor of,

   1. on the side of; in support of.

      to be in favor of reduced taxation.

   2. to the advantage of.

   3. (of a check, draft, etc.) payable to.

      Make out your checks in favor of the corporation.

3. find favor with, to gain the favor of; be liked by.

   The play found favor with the opening-night audience.

4. out of favor, no longer liked or approved; no longer popular or fashionable.

   He's out of favor with the president and may soon be fired.

favor More Idioms  

1. see curry favor; in favor of; in favor with; in one's favor; out of favor; return the compliment (favor).

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Synonym Usage

Favor, goodwill imply a kindly regard or friendly disposition shown by an individual or group. Favor may be merely an attitude of mind: to look with favor on a proposal. Goodwill is more active and leads often to outward manifestations of friendly approval: By frequent applause the audience showed its goodwill toward the speaker.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• favorer
  noun
• prefavor
  noun
• overfavor
  verb (used with object)
• unfavoring
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• favors
  plural

Etymology

Origin of favor

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English favo(u)r, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Latin favōr- (stem of favor ) “goodwill,” derivative of favēre “to be favorably inclined” + -ōr- -or ¹

Explanation

A favor is an act of kindness, like doing your friend a favor by letting her borrow your calculator to take the big math test. Favor can be used as a noun: an advantage, like having experience in your favor when you apply for a job; a nice gesture, like giving your friend a ride to school; or a party favor, a little gift you get at a party. As a verb, favor means "like the most," like foods you favor, or "treat gently," like favoring your right leg when walking because it hurts to put weight on it.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

favor favors

And when Maddie’s disorder tells her she needs to stay in control, she contorts all of this trendy pastel-colored, serif-typefaced wellness to her favor, using it to fuel her harmful compulsions.

From Salon ● Aug. 8, 2026

It led three officials to dissent in favor of a rate increase at the Fed’s meeting last month, and others have more recently suggested a rate increase could be the best next move.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

Last month, the central bank held interest rates steady, but three regional Fed presidents dissented in favor of a rate hike.

From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026

Blanche has taken steps to curry Murkowski’s favor in recent months, visiting Alaska and announcing a $400-million settlement benefiting Alaska natives’ healthcare in July.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

I liked running to do someone a favor, to get some sugar or tea, or to carry a message.

From "Facing the Lion" by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton and Herman Viola

After a few shared meals, long conversations and traded favors, all of them became more than just the people next door — they became family.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

While Deborah favors dresses when spending time with Marty, the vibrant floral Kobi Halperin pantsuit illustrates that she is not making a play for her ex.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

Conversions are continuing to drive room growth, as the hotel chain favors acquiring existing hotels rather than building new ones.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

"Our results show that the global ocean now favors the growth of floating macroalgae."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 3, 2026

Like, you’re invulnerable, except to an arrow made of the heartwood of a hawthorn tree, which just so happens to be the exact kind of arrow that your worst enemy favors.

From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black

Related Words

• accept
• advocate
• appreciate
• approve
• back
• champion
• choose
• encourage
• endorse
• pick
• praise
• support