favor

1 of 2

noun

fa·​vor ˈfā-vər 

1

a(1)

: friendly regard shown toward another especially by a superior

a politician attempting to keep the favor of the voters

(2)

: approving consideration or attention : approbation

looked with favor on the enterprise

b

: partiality

The students naturally showed favor toward their own team.

c

archaic : leniency

d

archaic : permission

e

: popularity

The fad lost favor quickly.

2

archaic

a

: appearance

b(1)

: face

(2)

: a facial feature

3

a

: gracious kindness

also : an act of such kindness

did you a favor

b

archaic : aid, assistance

c

favors plural : effort in one's behalf or interest : attention

vying for the king's favor

4

a

: a token of love (such as a ribbon) usually worn conspicuously

b

: a small gift or decorative item given out at a party

c

: badge

5

a

: a special privilege or right granted or conceded

granted a favor to a dear friend

b

: sexual privileges

—usually used in plural

6

archaic : letter

7

: behalf, interest

a man who acts only in his own favor

favor

2 of 2

verb

favored; favoring ˈfā-v(ə-)riŋ 

transitive verb

1

a

: to regard or treat with favor

b(1)

: to do a kindness for : oblige

(2)

: endow

c

: to treat gently or carefully

favored her injured leg

2

: to show partiality toward : prefer

3

a

: to give support or confirmation to : sustain

b

: to afford advantages for success to : facilitate

good weather favored the outing

4

: to bear a resemblance to

he favors his father

favorer

ˈfā-vər-ər 

noun

Phrases

in favor of

1

a

: in accord or sympathy with

b

: to the benefit of : in support of

a verdict in favor of the accused

2

: to the order of

3

: in order to choose : out of preference for

turned down the scholarship in favor of a pro career

in one's favor

1

: in one's good graces

wanted to get back in the teacher's favor

2

: to one's advantage

The judge ruled in our favor.

out of favor

: unpopular, disliked

Her ideas are now out of favor.

Synonyms

Noun

• benevolence
• boon
• courtesy
• grace
• indulgence
• kindness
• mercy
• service
• turn

Verb

• accommodate
• oblige

Examples of favor in a Sentence

Noun

I drove her to the airport because I owed her a favor.

She's willing to help you but only as a favor to me.

Don't do me any favors. I don't need your help.

I've learned to be grateful for small favors.

He's trying to earn the boss's favor by working late.

The judge showed favor for the defendant.

The students naturally showed favor toward their own school's team.

Small boxes of candy were given out as favors at the wedding.

Verb

The teacher clearly favors you.

Most voters favor these tax cuts.

Her father favored the idea of her going to law school.

They won the championship last year, and most forecasters favor them to win again this year.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In July of that year, an administrative law judge ruled in his favor and awarded him back pay, benefits and interest for all money that had been seized. —Andrew Sheeler, Sacramento Bee, 26 Apr. 2024

And the Panthers lead again The momentum has swung back into Florida’s favor. —Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2024

One week and 6,000 miles later, the odds will look clearly in Gou’s favor. —Katie Bain, Billboard, 25 Apr. 2024

Advertisement Here in Arizona, a novel response has emerged, one that has alarmed homeless rights advocates and mayors but that could win favor among a public that has grown weary, and in some cases angry, with public encampments. —Noah Bierman, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024

The months-long lead-up to the movie included speculation that the two costars had engaged in an offscreen relationship after Powell and his ex-girlfriend Gigi Paris broke up in April 2023, but as the costars recently told The New York Times, those rumors worked in their favor. —Tommy McArdle, Peoplemag, 24 Apr. 2024

The show’s postponement worked in Canfield’s favor, too. —Marley Marius, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2024

Of course, the tender filet mignon has fallen out of favor in recent decades, derided as too lean and lacking in flavor compared to its sibling the ribeye. —Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 22 Apr. 2024

Fewer are as vocal and transparent as Mx. Collins, who has made their specific needs work in their favor while creating a place, and space, for themselves and others within the industry. —Alix Strauss, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2024

Verb

Although polls generally favor Trump, the latest NPR/PBS/Marist poll released last month showed that if Trump were convicted of a crime, Biden opens a 6% point lead, due largely to independent voters. —Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 15 Apr. 2024

Some residents favored adding apartment homes to the community, while others viewed the possible complex as a burden and safety concern. —Lux Butler, The Arizona Republic, 15 Apr. 2024

Ultimately, though, the judges favored Flay's potatoes. —Jessica Rodriguez, Journal Sentinel, 15 Apr. 2024

Don’t waste time arguing when spending your time on personal growth, educational pursuits and self-improvement is favored. —Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2024

Last year, the odds strongly favored a veteran insider, and like all its CEOs from the past two decades, not anyone bringing deep experience on the factory floor. —Shawn Tully, Fortune, 13 Apr. 2024

Jim Downey, the comedy writer who oversaw Weekend Update at the time, recalls that superagent Bernie Brillstein was pushing client Bill Maher for the role, while Warren Littlefield, then the president of NBC Entertainment, favored longtime writer Al Franken. —Geoff Edgers, Washington Post, 12 Apr. 2024

Never mind love: Could good will and favor, the root of gratitude, be bestowed from slave to master? —Imani Perry Janina Edwards Krish Seenivasan Devin Murphy, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024

People favor mid-size cities of about 200,000 residents, with Boston being the most populous of all on the list. —Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin, from favēre to be favorable; perhaps akin to Old High German gouma attention, Old Church Slavonic gověti to revere

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing favor

• all in favor
• come down in favor of
• come into favor
• come out in favor of
• curry favor
• decide in favor of/for
• do a favor for (someone)
• Do me a favor
• do oneself a favor
• do (someone) a favor
• fall from favor
• find approval/favor
• in favor
• in favor of
• in one's favor
• in someone's favor
• look with favor on
• lose favor
• odds are in (someone's) favor
• out of favor
• party favor
• political favor
• return the favor
• stack the odds in favor of (someone)
• stack the odds in someone's favor
• the odds are in favor of (something)
• work in someone's favor

Kids Definition

favor

1 of 2 noun

fa·​vor ˈfā-vər 

1

a

: friendly regard shown toward another

enjoyed the favor of the king

b

: approval

look with favor on a project

c

: partiality sense 1, preference

the judge showed favor to one side

d

: the quality or state of being popular

lose favor

2

: an act of kindness

do a friend a favor

3

: a small gift given out at a party

favor

2 of 2 verb

favored; favoring ˈfāv-(ə-)riŋ 

1

a

: to look upon or treat with favor

b

: to do a kindness for : oblige

c

: to treat gently or carefully : spare

favor a sore leg

2

: prefer sense 1

3

: to make possible or easy : help to succeed

darkness favored the attack

4

: to look like : resemble

favors his mother

favorer

ˈfā-vər-ər 

noun

Legal Definition

favor

noun

fa·​vor

1

: bias

2

: benefit