ENGLISH
REFERENCE

favored

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈfeɪvɝd// fa·vored Archaic

v. preferred or liked more than others. You use this to describe someone or something that gets special treatment or is the top choice.

v. preferred or treated with partiality; regarded with special kindness or favor. Often used to describe a candidate, outcome, or status that is more likely to succeed.


SIMPLE

Blue is her favored color for decorating.

CONTEXTUAL

The favored candidate for the job has ten years of experience in the field.

COMPLEX

While several theories were proposed, the favored explanation among researchers involves a combination of genetic factors and environmental triggers during early childhood development.

Synonyms
Usage

Commonly used as an attributive adjective before a noun. In American English, it is spelled 'favored', while British English uses 'favoured'.

Pitfall

He is more favored than meHe is more favored than I amWhen making comparisons with 'than', the pronoun should match the subject case, though 'me' is common in informal speech.

© 2026 English Reference