favor

[ fey-ver ]

/ ˈfeɪ vər /

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See synonyms for: favor / favored / favoring on Thesaurus.com

noun

something done or granted out of goodwill, rather than from justice or for remuneration; a kind act: to ask a favor.

friendly or well-disposed regard; goodwill: to win the favor of the king.

the state of being approved or held in regard: to be in favor at court; styles that are now in favor.

excessive kindness or unfair partiality; preferential treatment: to treat some people with favor and others with neglect.

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

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

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

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

Archaic. a letter, especially a commercial one.

verb (used with object)

to regard with favor: to favor an enterprise.

to prefer; treat with partiality: The father favored his younger son.

to show favor to; oblige: The king favored him with an audience.

to be favorable to; facilitate: The wind favored their journey.

to deal with, treat, or use gently: to favor a lame leg.

to aid or support: He favored his party's cause with ample funds.

to bear a physical resemblance to; resemble: to favor one's father's side of the family.

OTHER WORDS FOR favor

5 present.

10 approve, countenance, sanction.

12 encourage, patronize.

15 help, assist.

See synonyms for favor on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR favor

2 animosity, malice.

10 disapprove.

See antonyms for favor on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

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Idioms about favor

find favor with, to gain the favor of; be liked by: The play found favor with the opening-night audience.

in favor of,

on the side of; in support of: to be in favor of reduced taxation.
to the advantage of.
(of a check, draft, etc.) payable to: Make out your checks in favor of the corporation.

in one's favor, to one's credit or advantage: All the comments were in your favor.

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.

Also especially British, fa·vour .

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- -or¹

synonym study for favor

2. 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 WORDS FROM favor

fa·vor·er, nouno·ver·fa·vor, verb (used with object)pre·fa·vor, noun, verb (used with object)un·fa·vor·ing, adjective

Words nearby favor

faveolus, favicon, favism, favonian, Favonius, favor, favorable, favorance, favored, favorite, favorite son

How to use favor in a sentence

There's definitely been a shift in favor of things like Medicare-for-all and a Green New Deal among Democrats in this state.
The Trailer: The First State goes last|David Weigel|September 15, 2020|Washington Post
The stimulus package received 52 votes in favor, all from Republicans.
The federal $300 unemployment benefit is set to expire. Will there be a replacement?|Lance Lambert|September 14, 2020|Fortune
SoftBank’s sale of Arm unwinds another strategic investment in favor of boosting liquidity and enabling founder Masayoshi Son to focus on the more tactical investing he has said he wants to pursue.
Nvidia is buying SoftBank’s Arm chip division in biggest semiconductor deal ever|Claire Zillman, reporter|September 14, 2020|Fortune
The committee was not in favor of altering the voting process after votes had already been counted — even if it could result in a more diverse pool of winners.
The Mess That Is the 2020 James Beard Awards, Explained|Elazar Sontag|September 11, 2020|Eater

The stimulus package received 52 votes in favor, all from Republicans, and 47 opposed votes from Democratic Senators and Kentucky Republican Rand Paul.
GOP $500 billion aid package blocked by Senate Democrats—here’s what it means for unemployment benefits and stimulus checks|Lance Lambert|September 10, 2020|Fortune
Thirty-six percent were in favor and 38 percent were opposed.
How the PC Police Threaten Free Speech|Nick Gillespie|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Finally, he takes us behind the scenes into how Obama came out in favor of marriage equality that same year.
The Real Story Behind the Fight for Marriage Equality|E.J. Graff|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So, why would a species like the banded mongoose favor breeding between relatives?
Mongooses, Meerkats, and Ants, Oh My! Why Some Animals Keep Mating All in the Family|Helen Thompson|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Were the smugglers doing you a favor making it nearly impossible to bring any hope?
The Life and Hard Times Of The Family A Cuban Defector Left Behind|Brin-Jonathan Butler|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This has won the Cuban rum no fans in Washington, which has shown favor for Bacardi in the past.
Why Congress Hates Your Cuban Rum|Tim Mak|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At the reserve bank they may borrow as a standing right and not as a favor which may be cut off.
Readings in Money and Banking|Chester Arthur Phillips
His boyish suspenders had been put away in favor of a belt, which was tight-drawn about his slim waist.
The Bondboy|George W. (George Washington) Ogden
Factors which favor an early deposit are high acidity, diminished urinary pigments, and excessive excretion of uric acid.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
Edna was a trifle embarrassed at being thus signaled out for the imperious little woman's favor.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
The situation may be altogether in favor of the employer or altogether in favor of the men, or may occupy a middle ground.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock

Other Idioms and Phrases with favor

favor

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

favor

OTHER WORDS FOR favor

OPPOSITES FOR favor

Idioms about favor

Origin of favor

synonym study for favor

OTHER WORDS FROM favor

Words nearby favor

Words related to favor

How to use favor in a sentence

Other Idioms and Phrases with favor