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
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.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Recent Examples of favorite
Hattie Williams
july 14, Literary Hub, 14 July 2025
Lol watching all the amazing women in my life cook all our favorite meals with so much love and joy.
—Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 14 July 2025
Jay Stahl, USA Today, 12 July 2025
Plant every couple of weeks this month for a staggered harvest to enjoy your favorites for an even longer period at a more manageable volume!
—Heather Zidack, Hartford Courant, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for favorite
Adjective
Here are some of my own favorite age gap relationship novels.
—Hattie Williams
july 14, Literary Hub, 14 July 2025
Lol watching all the amazing women in my life cook all our favorite meals with so much love and joy.
—Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 14 July 2025
Noun
The first lady was pictured embracing her husband while departing the White House in a khaki-colored jacket and monochromatic army green look paired with animal print sunglasses and Converse Chuck Taylor kicks, also a fashion favorite of former Vice President Kamala Harris.
—Jay Stahl, USA Today, 12 July 2025
Plant every couple of weeks this month for a staggered harvest to enjoy your favorites for an even longer period at a more manageable volume!
—Heather Zidack, Hartford Courant, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for favorite
Recent Examples of Synonyms for favorite
Adjective
-
Bachman's warbler seems to have preferred brushy terrain that was slightly elevated from the surrounding swampy areas, which was the easiest ground to clear for cropland.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
5 July 2025
-
They can be wrapped with foil and reheated on the grill over indirect heat until hot throughout, or placed in a baking dish with broth or other preferred liquid, covered tightly with foil, and baked in a preheated 300°F oven until heated through.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
5 July 2025
Adjective
-
Here’s what to know about the history of this popular seaside city and its residents.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
8 July 2025
-
For years, BlackRock has been known for its popular index business, which manages trillions of dollars and makes up a significant portion of its revenues.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
The Rapture, the New York dance-punk band that became indie darlings in the 2000s, has announced its first proper headlining tour in 15 years.—
Jason Lipshutz,
Billboard,
8 July 2025
-
Moving with ease down the backstretch, Japan’s darling maintained his position.—
Danny Brewer,
Forbes.com,
6 July 2025
Adjective
-
The beach is a lovely place to camp out and wade while watching brave souls barrel-ride hundreds of feet across the sea, and it’s also conveniently located on the edge of the Puerto Viejo beach town, meaning there are plenty of amenities nearby, including the beloved Lazy Mon beach bar.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
11 July 2025
-
The travel centers, which are often as big as football fields, are beloved for their pristine bathrooms, competitive fuel prices and the permanently grinning beaver mascot with the thousand-yard stare.—
Diana Leyva,
The Tennessean,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
On selected nights, the show will be accompanied with fireworks.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
16 May 2025
-
The selected artist will receive $1,700-$2,125 a month, plus a stipend for art supplies.—
Anne Gelhaus,
Mercury News,
11 May 2025
Adjective
-
Shop the best markdowns of fashionable favorites such as Favorite Daughter best-selling trouser, Rag & Bone’s capri pants and By Malene Birger’s knitted skirt.—
Kristina Rutkowski,
Vogue,
11 July 2025
-
In the snap, the mother-of-two looked as fashionable as ever, this time styling the supportive shoes with a navy linen mini dress and gold jewelry.—
Averi Baudler,
People.com,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
Some noticed minor banding with select HDR10 video, but updates seem to have mostly fixed it, making this the 2025 TV to beat.—
Simon Hill,
Wired News,
12 July 2025
-
The Barron’s Winner’s Circle Top 100 is a select group of individuals who are screened on a number of different criteria.—
Patti Brennan,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
Serena and Lily is an AD go-to for lighting—their silhouettes are individualistic, and cute without being precious.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
11 July 2025
-
Sprinkled it like fairy dust right along his deck and around his precious fire pit area.—
Darlin Tillery,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Favorite.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/favorite. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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