as in bias
the unfair practice of treating some people better than others
The favoritism of the boss led to many disgruntled employees. He accused the teacher of showing favoritism in assigning grades.
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Recent Examples of favoritism
The lifetime of favoritism put significant strains on sibling relationships growing up.
—
R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 16 Mar. 2026
And there’s a kind of auction of government favoritism going on in Washington.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2026
Maps would prioritize population equality, compactness, contiguity, and communities of interest, with no favoritism toward incumbents.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
The Bediako case is a nice counterexample to the favoritism argument; the first judge stepped aside when his relationship with the university, or at least the coverage and commentary surrounding it, was too close-knit to be ignored, and the second judge ruled against his alma mater.
—Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for favoritism
R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 16 Mar. 2026
And there’s a kind of auction of government favoritism going on in Washington.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2026
Maps would prioritize population equality, compactness, contiguity, and communities of interest, with no favoritism toward incumbents.
—Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
The Bediako case is a nice counterexample to the favoritism argument; the first judge stepped aside when his relationship with the university, or at least the coverage and commentary surrounding it, was too close-knit to be ignored, and the second judge ruled against his alma mater.
—Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for favoritism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for favoritism
Noun
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The university has defended a formula used to select the participants and denied allegations of bias.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Mar. 2026
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What participants in these discussions need to remember is that--as has been said often--truth has a liberal bias.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But in both cases there is something darker underneath the surface, revealing the prejudices and debts the characters couldn’t leave behind in the city.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
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In February 2024, the woman dropped her lawsuit against the musicians, filing to dismiss it with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But nepotism rules everything around me, so why not The Immortal Man?—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
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The state Commission on Ethics previously deadlocked on applying the current nepotism law to the situation.—
David Bauerlein,
Florida Times-Union,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Bagley and Jordon apparently believe that their elitism and tech-bro cronyism are reasonable political positions.—
John Samuelsen,
New York Daily News,
17 Mar. 2026
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But controversial government efforts to redress inequalities have been plagued by corruption and cronyism.—
Michael H Gavshon,
CBS News,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Favoritism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/favoritism. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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