1
as in loved
granted special treatment or attention the youngest child was also the most favored—much to the envy of his siblings
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in selected
singled out from a number or group as more to one's liking for a favored few, the restaurant always has a table available, no matter how busy it is
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in obliged
to do a service or favor for although she was at the party as a guest, the singer favored us with a song
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in accepted
to have a favorable opinion of if this measure will reduce our property taxes, then I favor it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in preferred
to show partiality toward older moviegoers tend to favor films that have certain extras—like a plot and developed characters
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in gifted
to furnish freely or naturally with some power, quality, or attribute favored with good looks
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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 favored
Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026 Geraldine Slattery, head of BHP Group’s Australian business and widely seen as a favored candidate to follow current boss Mike Henry, is in the running for the top job at Woodside Energy Group, according to people familiar with the situation. —Angus Whitley, Bloomberg, 8 Mar. 2026
Brian Steinberg, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026 Imani, son of Chicago’s beloved piping plovers Monty and Rose, was spotted on a quiet stretch of sand favored by shorebirds. —Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for favored
Adjective
Despite the existence of the Justice Department's own election monitoring program, the federal observer program has historically been a favored approach for a few reasons. —Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026 Geraldine Slattery, head of BHP Group’s Australian business and widely seen as a favored candidate to follow current boss Mike Henry, is in the running for the top job at Woodside Energy Group, according to people familiar with the situation. —Angus Whitley, Bloomberg, 8 Mar. 2026
Verb
King favored a genial, non-confrontational style that critics derided as too easygoing and soft for a news network, but which made his program a natural stop for politicians and entertainers who wanted to make their views known without sparking overt conflict. —Brian Steinberg, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026 Imani, son of Chicago’s beloved piping plovers Monty and Rose, was spotted on a quiet stretch of sand favored by shorebirds. —Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for favored
Recent Examples of Synonyms for favored
Adjective
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My condolences to her family and loved ones.— Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
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Nobody wants to watch a loved one endure the pain, debilitation, and loss of independence that can follow a serious fall.— Brian Frost, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The selected artist will be notified by early October.— News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2026
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The gist, however, seems to be that extra-terrestrials make contact with a selected few, before promising to go public to the entire world — good luck dealing with the ramifications of that one, human race!— Richard Edwards, Space.com, 31 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The astronauts obliged, returning detailed observations of Orientale.— Mike Wall, Space.com, 11 Apr. 2026
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Seeking an opportunity to be a full-time starter, Thompson requested a trade from the organization the following offseason, and general manager Kelly McCrimmon obliged, sending him to Washington.— Jesse Granger, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And when property rights are defined and broadly accepted, people are more likely to cooperate than to fight.— Antony Davies, Boston Herald, 19 Apr. 2026
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Williams and Whitehouse, though, have both said the tryout fees for Flight 88 will go directly toward uniform, travel and education costs, and that the program isn’t planning to charge any additional costs for athletes once accepted.— Luca Evans, Denver Post, 18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The technology is preferred, since the nuclear plant components are modular, can be built at scale and the plant is designed to shut down in case of an accident.— Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 21 Apr. 2026
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This broke long-standing royal tradition, which has preferred more bespoke choices for a royal engagement ring.— Kelsey Lentz, PEOPLE, 19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As a baby, his father gifted him a small, green football.— Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Apr. 2026
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But they’ve also been gifted an opportunity for a public perception reset.— Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Zachary was a cherished friend whose kindness and spirit touched everyone who knew him.— Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
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Some cherished illusions will be shattered, including what chimpanzees eat, which is not exclusively fruit but sometimes other, weaker primates like red colobus monkeys.— David Faris, TheWeek, 13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The Chinese Communist Party is resurrecting one of its favorite complaints against the Japanese government, decrying officials’ routine visit to a shrine honoring dead soldiers of World War II.— Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 22 Apr. 2026
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The Glow by Daye Satin Bonnets is an Allure-editor favorite and comes in a number of cute colors and patterns.— Danielle James, Allure, 22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Favored.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/favored. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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