favorite 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of favoritenext
1
as in loved
granted special treatment or attention that teacher claims not to have any favorite students, although many in the class would disagree

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in preferred
singled out from a number or group as more to one's liking mint chocolate chip is my favorite flavor of ice cream

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in popular
enjoying widespread favor or approval a radio station that mostly plays favorite songs from the 1960s and 1970s

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

favorite

2 of 2

noun

ˈfā-v(ə-)rət How to pronounce favorite (audio)
as in darling
a person or thing that is preferred over others the youngest child was always Mother's favorite

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of favorite
Adjective
Koski and Nickell, both 52, joked that picking a favorite climb would be like picking a favorite child, but they are particularly drawn to mountains in the Lemhi Range, such as Bell Mountain and Diane’s Peak. — Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 20 Oct. 2026 Cairo, a 29-point favorite, led Dougherty 16-0 after two quarters. — Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
Or will the Chargers lock in and upset the favorites to bring home their first win of the season? — Jason Cohen, PC Magazine, 18 Oct. 2026 Cutie from Saie is one of my favorites for a little bit of a deeper antiblush. — Lindy Segal, Glamour, 18 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for favorite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for favorite
  1. loved
  2. preferred
  3. popular
  4. darling
  5. beloved
  6. selected
  7. fashionable
  8. preference
Adjective
  • Friends and loved ones are mourning the man who fell to his death Monday while riding a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia.
    — Sarah Lynch Baldwin, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Win or lose, a candidate’s campaign will consume their life and their loved ones’; a victory guarantees their life will change forever.
    — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of loved
Adjective
  • An Ipsos poll out Friday finds that a majority, or about 51% of the population, say chocolate is their preferred Halloween candy of choice.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Poland never underestimated Russia threat watch now Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.
    — Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of preferred
Adjective
  • Be intentional about noticing autumn and Halloween displays on lawns and porches, which seem as popular as ever this year.
    — Dana Kelley, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Filled with plushies and collectibles from popular franchises such as Pokémon, the franchise’s arcades typically have more than 30 claw machines in its stores, its website said.
    — Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of popular
Noun
  • The Coway Airmega Mighty has been a Reddit darling for years and a top air-purifier pick for more than a decade, since the product launched in 2015.
    — Matthew Huff, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The retail giant also has an on-going collaboration with menswear design darling Aaron Levine and has released capsule collections with Bad Bunny, Marisa Berenson, Fruit of the Loom, Baisi Guadagnino and more.
    — Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of darling
Adjective
  • There has been a tremendous amount of recent development in Chelsea, but, ever the story in New York City, as beloved old places close their doors, new favorites emerge.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Customers will find the usual array of irresistible doughnuts, including DK’s beloved maple bacon bar.
    — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of beloved
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, the first stage can handle different solid rocket motors for pre-selected range, speed, and performance profiles, as well as different booster types and other modular components.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The Pope Leo Village Homes initiative is underway in Bronzeville with five of the seven area homes under construction and two with selected homeowners.
    — Everett Eaton, jsonline.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of selected
Adjective
  • Ortega and Ora weren’t the only fashionable famous faces on the red carpet.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The fashionable young man introduced himself as Nicholas Yakovlev, a friend of Adrien’s.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of fashionable
Noun
  • And limiting the ongoing growth in average EV battery capacity—driven by preferences for longer range and larger vehicles—could reduce demand by another 23 percent compared to the current trend.
    — Scott K. Johnson, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
  • But Strategy’s latest purchase shows the company is continuing to build its holdings despite the market’s swings, in line with executive chairman Michael Saylor’s long-standing preference for holding Bitcoin.
    — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of preference

Browse Nearby Words

favoring
favorite
favorites
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Cite this Entry

“Favorite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/favorite. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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