as in despised
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in hated
to feel dislike for
a style of stage acting that is disfavored by most theatergoers today
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disliked
to hold an unfavorable opinion of
polls showing that this political candidate is highly disfavored by most voters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of disfavored
Mirae Kim, The Conversation, 15 June 2026
On Wednesday morning, that tally stood at a hefty seven hundred and thirty-four, with cases ranging from the President’s immigration policies to his dismantling of disfavored agencies to his effort to punish law firms to his ban on transgender athletes in women’s sports.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
As the court expressly recognized, the First Amendment draws a line, which the government may not cross, at efforts to use government power—including the power of the purse—‘to punish or suppress disfavored expression’ by others.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 31 Mar. 2026
In the ruling, the court concluded that the administration attempted to suppress disfavored news coverage by singling out two speakers on the basis of their speech.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 31 Mar. 2026
Earlier this year, we were advised to avoid using words included on the government’s growing list of disfavored words.
—Leslie Fields-Cruz, IndieWire, 27 Nov. 2025
Some curbed its oversight over sister branches, others installed term limits or mandated a retirement age for justices, and still others granted the Senate the power to overrule disfavored opinions and require new justices to have prior judicial experience.
—Time, 14 Nov. 2025
And Carr’s public comments undoubtedly connect that threat to Kimmel’s disfavored comments.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 22 Sep. 2025
Laura Secor, The Atlantic, 16 June 2026
Although a decreasing majority of Republicans still favors the Jewish state, it is disfavored by 80% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, up from 53% last year.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 16 June 2026
Musero said that evidence in the trial would show that the lists signaled to other agents that he was disfavored and shouldn’t be submitted for work opportunities.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
Research that could be seen as disfavored by one political party may not get done because of the fear it could be terminated with a change in administration.
—Anil Oza, STAT, 6 Feb. 2026
Data indicates these petitions are granted less than 1% of the time and are particularly disfavored in the Second Circuit.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Such cases show how grantees may avoid disfavored topics or rewrite proposals to fit the administration in power.
—Mirae Kim, The Conversation, 15 June 2026
On Wednesday morning, that tally stood at a hefty seven hundred and thirty-four, with cases ranging from the President’s immigration policies to his dismantling of disfavored agencies to his effort to punish law firms to his ban on transgender athletes in women’s sports.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
As the court expressly recognized, the First Amendment draws a line, which the government may not cross, at efforts to use government power—including the power of the purse—‘to punish or suppress disfavored expression’ by others.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 31 Mar. 2026
In the ruling, the court concluded that the administration attempted to suppress disfavored news coverage by singling out two speakers on the basis of their speech.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 31 Mar. 2026
Earlier this year, we were advised to avoid using words included on the government’s growing list of disfavored words.
—Leslie Fields-Cruz, IndieWire, 27 Nov. 2025
Some curbed its oversight over sister branches, others installed term limits or mandated a retirement age for justices, and still others granted the Senate the power to overrule disfavored opinions and require new justices to have prior judicial experience.
—Time, 14 Nov. 2025
And Carr’s public comments undoubtedly connect that threat to Kimmel’s disfavored comments.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
About seven years ago, Parviz Afshari—Sam’s father—lived in Karaj and worked for a conglomerate whose essential purpose was to confiscate private property from dissidents, ethnic minorities, and other people disfavored by the government.
—Laura Secor, The Atlantic, 16 June 2026
Although a decreasing majority of Republicans still favors the Jewish state, it is disfavored by 80% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, up from 53% last year.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 16 June 2026
Musero said that evidence in the trial would show that the lists signaled to other agents that he was disfavored and shouldn’t be submitted for work opportunities.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
Research that could be seen as disfavored by one political party may not get done because of the fear it could be terminated with a change in administration.
—Anil Oza, STAT, 6 Feb. 2026
Data indicates these petitions are granted less than 1% of the time and are particularly disfavored in the Second Circuit.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disfavored
Adjective
-
Smith had slapped Chris Rock onstage at the Academy Awards, and was suddenly one of the most despised actors in America.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
This is a despised company right now.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Most bands in the ’80s hated each other.—
Lily Moayeri,
SPIN,
17 June 2026
-
His administration had split into several factions, all of which had different interests, and all of which hated each other.—
Tina Nguyen,
The Verge,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Almost everything that my sister disliked about the paper route was something that appealed to me.—
Peter Hessler,
New Yorker,
31 May 2026
-
For all the prior cinematic depictions of storming bunkers and camaraderie under fire, Pressure offers us the quiet heroism of rational restraint in the figure of James Stagg, who weathered his inner storms and bore the courage to be disliked.—
Daniel Jonah Wolpert,
NPR,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Officials in Hood County, Texas, for example, rejected a proposal for a six-month moratorium after a state senator urged the Texas attorney general to intervene and prevent the measure.—
Rachel Mural,
The Conversation,
18 June 2026
-
New Delhi, however, rejected the claim, insisting the ceasefire was the result of direct bilateral talks with Pakistan.—
Kyra Colah,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
Greenspan was also criticized for enacting policies that contributed to the subprime mortgage crisis that led to the recession at the end of the 2000s.—
Victoria Edel,
PEOPLE,
22 June 2026
-
The Federal Reserve’s steadfast period of low interest rates in the 2000s was criticized as contributing to a housing bubble in the 2000s, followed by the mortgage crisis of 2007 and the Great Recession the following year.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
22 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disfavored.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disfavored. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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