disfavor

play

noun dis·fa·vor \ (ˌ)dis-ˈfā-vər \

Definition of disfavor

1 :disapproval, dislike

practices looked upon with disfavor

2 :the state or fact of being no longer favored

fell into disfavor

3 :disadvantage

See disfavor defined for English-language learners

See disfavor defined for kids

Examples of disfavor in a Sentence

He regarded their proposal with disfavor.
They looked with disfavor upon her.

Recent Examples of disfavor from the Web

Residents boo at council meetings when discussions break down, and complain that the town is being forced to foot escalating legal bills when council members go to court to settle scores with each other and oust those who fall into disfavor.

— jan hefler, Philly.com, "N.J. court asked to settle yet another political dispute in Willingboro," 27 July 2017
The United States Supreme Court generally looks with disfavor on relying only on race to craft voting districts.

— logan jenkins, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Are district elections good or bad for democracy?," 30 May 2017
The NBC-WSJ poll also showed the public looks with disfavor on the firing of Comey.

— chris cillizza, CNN, "The public really wants a special prosecutor for Russia investigation," 15 May 2017
For any book critic (including this one) who also writes books, and is therefore loath to curry disfavor with perhaps the world’s most powerful book critic, panning Pamela Paul would be quite the unwise career move.

— meredith maran, The Christian Science Monitor, "'My Life with Bob' is a rollicking, intimate journey to a booklover's heart," 1 May 2017
Business leaders then looked gloomily at the prospects of the contentious election, with some openly expressing disfavor for the billionaire Republican candidate.

— melissa mittelman, Bloomberg.com, "Billionaires Convene at Milken Conference for Trump Report Card," 1 May 2017
That is part of the macabre appeal of the tontine, a 350-year-old investment vehicle that fell into disfavor more than a century ago but is now getting fresh consideration as a way to help people receive steady income in retirement.

— tom verde, New York Times, "When Others Die, Tontine Investors Win," 24 Mar. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'disfavor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of disfavor

probably from Middle French desfaveur, from des- dis- + faveur favor, from Old French favor

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1533

See Words from the same year

disfavor Synonyms

Synonyms

allergy, averseness, aversion, dislike, disinclination, disliking, disrelish, down [chiefly British], mislike

Antonyms

appetite, favor, fondness, like, liking, partiality, preference, relish, shine, taste, use

Related Words

disgust, distaste, loathing, nausea, repugnance, repulsion, revulsion; abhorrence, abomination, antipathy, detestation, execration, hate, hatred; deprecation, disapproval, displeasure, dissatisfaction; jaundice

Near Antonyms

affection, attachment, devotedness, devotion, love, passion; bent, leaning, penchant, predilection, propensity, tendency

disfavor

verb

Definition of disfavor

transitive verb

:to withhold or withdraw favor from

See disfavor defined for English-language learners

Examples of disfavor in a Sentence

The current laws favor large businesses and disfavor smaller businesses.
a style of stage acting that is disfavored by most theatergoers today

Recent Examples of disfavor from the Web

The ban is supposed to prevent ISPs from seeking extra fees, disfavoring competitors, or otherwise taking advantage of their powerful position standing between customers and the entire Internet.

— aaron pressman, Fortune, "Verizon Denies Intentionally Slowing Netflix and YouTube," 21 July 2017
Culberson initially supported Smith’s efforts to designate funding for each research directorate (rather than only for the entire research account), and to disfavor the social sciences and climate research.

— jeffrey mervis, Science | AAAS, "Why a flat 2018 budget could tie NSF’s hands," 14 July 2017
And how a lot of their alignment has to do with the awareness that the criminal justice system tends to disfavor black people.

— wesley morris and jenna wortham, New York Times, "Just What Was on Trial in the Bill Cosby Case?," 21 June 2017
The judge concluded, largely drawing on Trump's past statements, that the travel ban likely violates the Constitution by disfavoring Muslims, and the Justice Department appealed that decision in March.

— laura jarrett, CNN, "Trump travel ban challenge in appeals court Monday," 8 May 2017
Petitioners believe the Final Rule falls squarely within the category of regulations disfavored by the Administration – those that are unduly burdensome and costly, and do not provide commensurate benefits.

— caitlin dewey, The Denver Post, "Industry is counting on Trump to back off rules that tell you what’s in your food," 28 Apr. 2017

First Known Use of disfavor

1570

disfavor Synonyms

Synonyms

dislike, disrelish, mislike

Antonyms

adore, cotton (to), delight (in), dig, enjoy, fancy, groove (on), like, love, relish, revel (in)

Related Words

abhor, abominate, detest, execrate, hate, loathe, resent; condemn, despise, scorn; cringe (at), disapprove (of), frown (on or upon), mind, object (to), shy (from or away from)

Near Antonyms

admire, appreciate, cherish, esteem, regard, respect; adore, deify, idolize, revere, reverence, venerate, worship; prize, treasure, value; drink (in), savor (also savour); dote (on), idolize; favor, prefer

DISFAVOR Defined for English Language Learners

disfavor

play

noun

Definition of disfavor for English Language Learners

: a feeling of disapproval or dislike
: the condition of being disapproved of or disliked

disfavor

verb

Definition of disfavor for English Language Learners

: to disapprove of or dislike (someone or something)
: to make it more difficult for (a person, organization, etc.) to succeed or achieve something than it is for another person, organization, etc.