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
Lane mentions how Cleveland fought patronage and favoritism but fails to state that his predecessor, Chester Alan Arthur, actually helped codify the Civil Service Exam for federal employees.
—
Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
The lifetime of favoritism put significant strains on sibling relationships growing up.
—R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 16 Mar. 2026
Early Jewish interpreters also struggled with the fact that Rebekah’s favoritism toward Jacob and her insistence upon his subterfuge nevertheless align with God’s plan.
—Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Mar. 2026
And there’s a kind of auction of government favoritism going on in Washington.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for favoritism
Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
The lifetime of favoritism put significant strains on sibling relationships growing up.
—R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 16 Mar. 2026
Early Jewish interpreters also struggled with the fact that Rebekah’s favoritism toward Jacob and her insistence upon his subterfuge nevertheless align with God’s plan.
—Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Mar. 2026
And there’s a kind of auction of government favoritism going on in Washington.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for favoritism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for favoritism
Noun
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When asked to evaluate the athletes based on their stats alone, without knowing their race, that bias disappeared.—
Megan Molteni,
STAT,
7 Apr. 2026
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For years, Musk has accused both Delaware and California of bias against him or his companies, moving Tesla and SpaceX headquarters from California to Texas, and reincorporating his businesses, former Delaware corporations, in Nevada and Texas.—
Ashley Capoot,Kate Rooney,
CNBC,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Sely embodies resilience against prejudice as her struggle for equality and respect as an immigrant woman paved the way for future generations.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
8 Apr. 2026
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The patterns were strong enough to predict which robot would be picked for which role, yet participants explained themselves in the neutral language of practicality, not prejudice.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Missouri Auditor’s Office began investigating the village in 2024 after receiving a whistleblower complaint alleging nepotism and conflicts of interest.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
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But nepotism rules everything around me, so why not The Immortal Man?—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
20 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 13 Apr. 2026.
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