curry favor

Cultural  

1. “Currying favor” with someone means trying to ingratiate oneself by fawning over that person: “The ambassador curried favor with the dictator by praising his construction projects.”

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curry favor Idioms  

1. Seek gain or advancement by fawning or flattery, as in Edith was famous for currying favor with her teachers. This expression originally came from the Old French estriller fauvel, “curry the fallow horse,” a beast that in a 14th-century allegory stood for duplicity and cunning. It came into English about 1400 as curry favel —that is, curry (groom with a currycomb) the animal—and in the 1500s became the present term.

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Example Sentences

President Trump has a reputation for trying to curry favor with investors.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 27, 2026

Both Paramount and Netflix sought to curry favor with the White House, with Paramount winning out.

From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026

Behind the scenes, Noem and Lewandowski have attempted to curry favor with Trump and box out rivals, including Homan.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

Largely in lockstep about these matters, the candidates highlighted their political resumes and life stories to try to create contrasts and curry favor with attendees.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 4, 2025

Nita gleamed with gold and silver, gifts of goodwill that Lucky Strike had miraculously located in order to curry favor with the Dauntless.

From "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi