favorite
gb/fˈeɪvɚɪt/ us/fˈeɪvɚɪt/
A1
English
~ 1400
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A1
property
1
Most liked or preferred
Liked more than all the others.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s favorite [thing/person/place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'favorite' with 'favourite'—both are correct, but 'favorite' is US spelling and 'favourite' is UK spelling.
Synonyms
preferred (Slightly more formal and can be used in broader contexts, not only emotional liking.)
Antonyms
least favorite (Indicates the one liked the least among a group.)
Collocations
favorite food
|favorite song
|favorite book
|favorite color
|favorite place
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
|daily_life
Examples
- My favorite movie is 'The Matrix'.
- She wore her favorite dress to the party.
- This is my favorite spot to relax by the river.
- Chocolate ice cream is his favorite flavor.
- He picked his favorite player for the team.
Learner examples
- My favorite color is blue.
- This is my favorite book.
- Pizza is my favorite food.
- She is my favorite teacher.
Noun
A2
entity
2
Person or thing liked most
A person or thing you like most.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is [someone]'s favorite
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse the noun form with the adjective form; the noun stands alone as a subject or object.
Synonyms
darling (More affectionate or romantic in tone, often for a person.)
Antonyms
least favorite (Refers to the one liked the least in a group or category.)
Collocations
be a favorite
|remain a favorite
|crowd favorite
|old favorite
Themes
emotions
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
|daily_life
Examples
- He is the clear favorite to win the race.
- That song has been a favorite of mine for years.
- The new restaurant quickly became a local favorite.
- The teacher’s pet was always her favorite.
- This author is a favorite among young readers.
Learner examples
- This dog is my favorite.
- She is the teacher's favorite.
- Ice cream is my favorite.
- He is my favorite singer.
Noun
B1
entity
3
Competitor expected to win
A person or team people think will win.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is the favorite to [win/achieve something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'favorite' meaning 'most liked' with 'favorite' meaning 'most likely to win'. Context clarifies this.
Synonyms
front-runner (Commonly used in political or competitive contexts; emphasizes current lead rather than personal liking.)
Antonyms
underdog (A competitor expected to lose.)
Collocations
odds-on favorite
|clear favorite
|betting favorite
Themes
sports
|competition
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She is the favorite to win the gold medal.
- Brazil is the betting favorite for the World Cup.
- The young chess player became the tournament favorite.
- He entered the race as the clear favorite but lost unexpectedly.
- The polls show him as the favorite in the election.
Learner examples
- He is the favorite to win the game.
- Our team is the favorite this year.
- She is the favorite for the prize.
- Brazil is the favorite for the match.
Grammar
Dictionary form
favorite
IPA
GB/fˈeɪvɚɪt/
US/fˈeɪvɚɪt/
Syllables & stress
fa - vor - ite (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (fa)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: favorite
Noun
- Base: favorite
- Plural: favorite, favorites
Word family
Expressions
fan favorite
1/fˈæn fˈeɪvɚɪt/
fixed phrase
Most liked by fans
A person or thing that many fans like most.
Examples
- The player quickly became a fan favorite.
- That movie is a fan favorite among teenagers.
make someone’s day
1/mˈeɪk sˈʌmwˌʌnz dˈeɪ/
idiom
informal
Cause great happiness
To make someone feel very happy and pleased.
Examples
- Getting that message from you really made my day.
- Her smile made my day.
personal favorite
1/pˈɚsənəl fˈeɪvɚɪt/
fixed phrase
Most liked personally
Something you like more than anything else yourself, even if others don't agree.
Examples
- This song is a personal favorite of mine.
- That café is my personal favorite spot in town.
play favorites
1/plˈeɪ fˈeɪvɚɪts/
idiom
Show unfair preference
To treat one person better than others in an unfair way.
Examples
- The teacher was accused of playing favorites with certain students.
- Managers should avoid playing favorites at work.