1
as in loved
granted special treatment or attention
that teacher claims not to have any favorite students, although many in the class would disagree
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in preferred
singled out from a number or group as more to one's liking
mint chocolate chip is my favorite flavor of ice cream
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in popular
enjoying widespread favor or approval
a radio station that mostly plays favorite songs from the 1960s and 1970s
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in darling
a person or thing that is preferred over others
the youngest child was always Mother's favorite
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of favorite
Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2026
So what's your favorite performance or onstage moment?
—Outside Online, 25 Mar. 2026
Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 31 Mar. 2026
One of my favorites was an oil-on-wood-panel work by the young talent Lau Yin Yeung titled Ferry gliding through the sea of fog.
—Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for favorite
Adjective
Each of the fairies has a story, a job, a favorite flower and a name that draws on folklore and cultures from around the world.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2026
So what's your favorite performance or onstage moment?
—Outside Online, 25 Mar. 2026
Noun
Everyone loves classic Dutch Bros favorites like Golden Eagle and the Rebel, but there is so much to try with the Dutch Bros Secret Menu.
—Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 31 Mar. 2026
One of my favorites was an oil-on-wood-panel work by the young talent Lau Yin Yeung titled Ferry gliding through the sea of fog.
—Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for favorite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for favorite
Adjective
-
Fajgenbaum says six people have been treated with the drug so far, including five children, and all five children showed meaningful improvement — sitting up, engaging more with loved ones, and in some cases making gains that once seemed out of reach.—
Brad Quick,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
-
So the loved one ends up inside a vacuum cleaner and thrown out.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Fifty-three percent of respondents at the Conservative Political Action Conference last weekend said Vance was their preferred candidate in the 2028 Republican primary.—
Gabe Kaminsky,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Why Musk is pivoting Tesla watch now Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.—
Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
This distinction was missing both from popular discourse, the academics felt, and from an influential definition of antisemitism associated with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, which lists numerous examples of antisemitism related to criticism of Israel.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The backstory Eastwind Oliverea is the group’s first ground-up build, but in the early 1900s, the property was once home to the McKenley Farm, a popular seasonal vacation spot for African American families.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Even the darling of the AI trade, Nvidia, and the high-performing Amazon are negative on the year.—
Alexei Oreskovic,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The indie darling, who’d steadily grown her hybrid acting-directing career in the 2010s, has been out of public view for the last few years.—
David Canfield,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole just landed on the streamer and the nine-episode Scandi series focuses on his beloved Harry Hole novels, the troubled detective that launched the powerhouse Norwegian author’s writing career.—
Diana Lodderhose,
Deadline,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Now, the beloved lifestyle creator is making her biggest move yet — stepping from social media into the streaming world with her very own series on Tubi.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The gist, however, seems to be that extra-terrestrials make contact with a selected few, before promising to go public to the entire world — good luck dealing with the ramifications of that one, human race!—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
31 Dec. 2025
-
The selected cohort—Diamond Batiste, Ciara Boniface, Jeremy Hsing, Alejandra López and Brittany Alexia Young—were chosen from nearly 1,000 submissions, placing them at the forefront of a new chapter in cinematic storytelling.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Like a quality watch, gold necklaces are timeless accessories — living outside of the trend cycle while appearing around the necks of society’s most fashionable year in and year out, no matter the season.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
However, this rigorous standard aligns with her upbringing in 1950s Compton, where her parents kept an organic vegetable garden long before the term was fashionable.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
For women in some regions, access is a real barrier, not a shopping preference — and that context matters.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The workshop will have interactive stations where attendees can share their preferences and provide input on priorities and trade-offs for plans for the site, according to the city.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Favorite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/favorite. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
