Meaning & use
favor or favour
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
Something kind you do to help someone, often when they ask you to.
Grammar: Countable: 'a favor', 'two favors'. In British English it is spelled favour.
Patterns
- do someone a favor
- ask a favor of someone
- owe someone a favor
Could you do me a favor and carry this bag?
She asked a favor of her neighbor.
I owe you a favor for helping me move.
noununcountable
Approval, support, or a preference for someone or something.
Grammar: Uncountable in this sense: 'in favor of', 'win favor'.
Patterns
- in favor of someone/something
- win favor
- find favor with someone
Most people are in favor of the new plan.
The idea won favor with the committee.
He worked hard to gain the teacher's favor.
verbtransitive
To prefer or support one thing over another.
Grammar: Takes an object: 'favor the first option'. In British English spelled favour.
Patterns
- favor something
- favor someone over someone
The survey shows that voters favor the new law.
She favors bright colors over dark ones.
The judge seemed to favor the defendant's argument.
Word forms
| third person singular | favors |
|---|---|
| past tense | favored |
| past participle | favored |
| -ing form | favoring |
| plural | favors |
Common combinations
- do someone a favor
- Can you do me a favor and open the window?
- in favor of
- She spoke in favor of the proposal.
- ask a favor
- He asked a favor of his boss.
- win favor
- The new policy won favor with voters.
- return a favor
- I'll return the favor someday.
Synonyms and how they differ
- kindness
- A general word for being kind; a favor is a specific helpful act.
- support
- Similar to the 'approval' sense, but support is stronger and more active.
Opposites
Word family
- favorable adjective
- Showing approval or likely to help: a favorable review.
- favorite adjective
- Liked more than others: my favorite song.
- favoritism noun
- Unfairly treating one person better than others.
Commonly confused: favor or favour or flavor?
favor or favour vs flavor
Flavor (or flavour) is about taste; favor is about help or approval. They are different words.
Practice
Which sentence uses the correct spelling for American English?
Choose one answer.
In American English the spelling is favor; in British English it is favour. 'Faver' and 'favur' are not real spellings.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “favor or favour”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.