Favour Definition and Meaning
By Maham Liaqat & Urooj Arif — Published on August 15, 2025
Favour is an act of kindness beyond what is due or usual. e.g., She did me a great favour by helping me move.
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Favour Definitions
An act of kindness or assistance.
He asked for a favour to drive him to the airport.
An act of granting something desired.
The king granted the village a favour by waiving the taxes.
A small gift or item given to guests on special occasions.
They gave out small boxes of chocolates as favours at their wedding.
Beneficial advantage or help.
Winning the coin toss was a favour that helped the team decide to bat first.
A ribbon or badge worn to show loyalty to a significant person or cause.
Knights wore the favour of their lady as a token of loyalty.
ADVERTISEMENT
Preference or special liking for something.
She has a favour for classical music over pop.
A condition of being regarded or treated kindly.
After the incident, he was no longer in the teacher’s favour.
The state of being approved or preferred.
The new policy found favour among the employees.
Variant of favor.
(British spelling) favor
I need a favour. Could you lend me £5 until tomorrow, please?
Can you do me a favour and drop these letters in the post box?
(British spelling) favor
A feeling of favorable regard
An inclination to approve;
That style is in favor this season
An advantage to the benefit of someone or something;
The outcome was in his favor
Souvenir consisting of a small gift given to a guest at a party
An act of gracious kindness
Treat gently or carefully
Bestow a privilege upon
Promote over another;
He favors his second daughter
Consider as the favorite;
The local team was favored
Approval, support, or liking for someone or something.
The proposal won the favour of the board.
To treat someone in a kindly or helpful way.
The coach favoured the younger players for the upcoming match.
Favour Snonyms
Assistance
The provision of help or support.
The assistance from volunteers made the event a success.
Boon
A thing that is helpful or beneficial.
The scholarship was a boon for his education.
Partiality
Unfair bias in favour of one thing or person compared with another.
The judge’s partiality in the case was questioned.
Benevolence
The quality of being well-meaning and kindly.
She showed great benevolence by volunteering at the shelter.
Approval
The belief that something or someone is good or acceptable.
He finally received approval from his parents.
Kindness
A quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.
His kindness was evident when he offered to help.
Preference
A greater liking for one alternative over another or others.
Her preference for early mornings made her more productive.
Goodwill
Friendly, helpful, or cooperative feelings or attitude.
The community project was started out of goodwill towards the neighbourhood.
Service
The action of helping or doing work for someone.
Many thanked him for his years of service to the organization.
Advantage
A condition or circumstance that puts one in a favourable or superior position.
The team had an advantage with their home ground.
Favour Idioms & Phrases
Do someone a favour
To do something to help someone.
Can you do me a favour and check my mail?
Out of favour
No longer liked or supported.
The advisor fell out of favour with the king.
Curry favour
To seek to gain advantage by flattering or pleasing someone.
He tried to curry favour with the boss by working late.
Find favour
To be approved or supported.
Her proposal found favour among the committee members.
In favour of
In support or approval of something.
The majority voted in favour of the new policy.
Favour Example Sentences
Their hard work won them the favour of their boss.
Can you do me a favour and pass the salt?
He’s been out of favour since the incident last month.
Wearing a ribbon as a favour, the knight rode into the tournament.
She found herself in the teacher’s favour after acing the test.
After returning the favour, they became even closer friends.
She always had a favour for mysteries over romance novels.
Asking for a favour, he hoped his friend would agree to help.
They worked hard to curry favour with the new director.
Granting the village a favour, the queen visited them during the festival.
The proposal didn’t find favour with the committee, unfortunately.
The crowd’s favour was evident in their cheers for the singer.
Her impartiality meant she showed no favour in her decisions.
Common Curiosities
How is favour used in a sentence?
"Favour" is used to describe an act of kindness or preference for something, e.g., Could you do me a favour and close the window?
Why is it called favour?
"Favour" comes from the Old French word "favor," derived from Latin "favor," meaning goodwill or kindness, reflecting acts of kindness or support.
What is the pronunciation of favour?
Favour is pronounced as /ˈfeɪ.vər/ in British English and /ˈfeɪ.vɚ/ in American English.
What is a stressed syllable in favour?
In "favour," the stressed syllable is the first one: FA-vour.
What part of speech is favour?
"Favour" can be both a noun and a verb.
What is the verb form of favour?
"Favour" itself can be a noun or a verb. The verb form is "favour," as in "to favour someone or something."
What is the root word of favour?
The root of "favour" is the Latin word "favor," meaning goodwill, kindness, or support.
What is the third form of favour?
The third form (past participle) of "favour" is also "favoured."
How many syllables are in favour?
There are two syllables in "favour."
How do we divide favour into syllables?
Favour is divided into syllables as: fa-vour.
What is the singular form of favour?
The singular form is "favour."
What is the first form of favour?
The first (base) form of "favour" is "favour," used in the present tense when functioning as a verb.
What is the opposite of favour?
The opposite of "favour" could be "disfavour" or "dislike," depending on the context.
Is favour a vowel or consonant?
The word "favour" begins with a consonant.
Is favour an adverb?
No, "favour" is not an adverb.
Is favour a countable noun?
Yes, "favour" is a countable noun (e.g., "He did me several favours last week").
Is favour a collective noun?
No, "favour" is not a collective noun.
Is favour a noun or adjective?
"Favour" is primarily used as a noun and a verb, but not as an adjective.
Is favour a negative or positive word?
"Favour" is generally considered a positive word, as it often refers to acts of kindness or approval.
Is the favour term a metaphor?
"Favour" can be used metaphorically, especially when referring to preferential treatment or support.
Which determiner is used with favour?
Determiners such as "a," "the," and possessive pronouns (e.g., "my," "your") can be used with "favour."
Which vowel is used before favour?
Typically, "a" is used as the article before "favour" because it starts with a consonant sound.
What is the plural form of favour?
The plural form is "favours."
Is favour an abstract noun?
Yes, when "favour" is used as a noun, it is considered an abstract noun as it refers to a concept or idea rather than a physical object.
Is the word favour imperative?
"Favour" can be used in an imperative form, especially when making a request, e.g., "Please favour us with a response."
Is the word favour Gerund?
No, "favour" is not a gerund. The gerund form would involve verbs ending in -ing, and "favour" does not conform to this structure.
Is the word “favour” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
In sentences like "She did me a favour," "favour" functions as a direct object. The indirect object in this example is "me."
Which preposition is used with favour?
Prepositions such as "in," "of," and "for" are commonly used with "favour," depending on the context, e.g., "in favour of," "a favour of great importance," "do a favour for someone."
What is the second form of favour?
The second form (past tense) of "favour" is "favoured."
What is another term for favour?
Another term for "favour" could be "kindness" or "benevolence" when used as a noun, and "prefer" or "support" when used as a verb.
Which conjunction is used with favour?
Conjunctions like "and," "but," or "or" can connect clauses or phrases involving "favour," depending on the sentence structure.
Which article is used with favour?
The indefinite article "a" is used with "favour" when referring to a single act of kindness or support, and "the" can be used when referring to a specific favour or the concept of favour in general.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Term
Sortie Definition and Meaning
Next Term
Prebook Definition and MeaningAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
