favorite

favorite — adjective

1. liked or enjoyed more than any other person or thing of the same type — for exam

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

liked or enjoyed more than any other person or thing of the same type — for example, a favorite color, a favorite song, or a favorite restaurant.

Example

Xiu's favorite color is green, so she chose soft green paint for her bedroom walls.

favorite + noun — modifies the noun directly

Of all the books Jude has read this year, The Great Gatsby is his favorite.

'is my favorite' — used after the verb 'be' as a predicate adjective

Common collocations
  • favorite color
  • favorite food
  • favorite song
  • favorite movie
  • favorite book
  • favorite place
  • favorite memory
Synonyms
  • preferred

    suggests a deliberate choice or selection among options, whereas 'favorite' is about personal taste

  • favored

    implies being treated with special advantage or privilege rather than simply being best-liked

  • beloved

    much stronger emotion — implies deep affection and attachment, not casual liking

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

favorite + noun

be + favorite

Usage Note

This is the American English spelling. In British English, the same word is spelled 'favourite' (with a 'u'). Both spellings are correct in their respective varieties.

Common Mistakes

This is my most favorite song.
This is my favorite song.
'favorite' already means 'most liked,' so 'most favorite' is redundant. However, 'all-time favorite' is natural and correct.

favorite — noun

Word family

  • favoritism
    nounC1
  • favor
    nounB1
  • favor
    verbB2
  • favorable
    adjectiveB1
  • favorably
    adverbB2
  • unfavorable
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

'Favorite' is the broadest and most neutral word — it simply means something is liked more than others of the same kind. 'Preferred' shifts the focus to deliberate choice rather than emotional preference ('I prefer tea over coffee' — a rational decision, not necessarily an emotional favorite). 'Beloved' carries much stronger emotional weight; it implies deep affection or devotion ('her beloved grandmother'), so it should be reserved for things or people with genuine sentimental importance. 'Favored' is close to 'favorite' but often suggests external privilege or advantage ('the favored candidate received extra funding'), which 'favorite' does not imply. 'Chosen' emphasizes an active selection from a set ('the chosen design won the competition'), whereas 'favorite' can exist without any formal selection process. Use 'favorite' for everyday likes; 'beloved' only when the bond is deep; 'preferred' when comparing options rationally.

preferred ↗beloved ↗favoredchosen ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • fan favorite
  • crowd favorite
  • personal favorite
  • family favorite
  • audience favorite

Adverbs

  • particularly favorite
  • all-time favorite
  • overwhelmingly favorite
  • consistently favorite

Phrases

  • favorite to win
  • clear favorite
  • heavy favorite
  • hot favorite
  • odds-on favorite

Prepositions

  • favorite among
  • favorite of
  • favorite for
  • favorite with

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'favoritus' (past participle of 'favorere' meaning 'to show goodwill or support'), borrowed through Old French 'favorit' and Middle French 'favori.' The word entered English in the 16th century. The American spelling 'favorite' drops the '-ou-' that is retained in British 'favourite' — a common pattern in American English (cf. 'color' vs 'colour,' 'honor' vs 'honour').