favorite
/ˈfeɪ.vər.ɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfeɪ.vər.ət/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfā-v(ə-)rət ˈfā-vərt chiefly dialectal ˈfā-və-ˌrīt/ (ame, mw)
favorite — adjective
- favoritepositive
- more favoritecomparative
- most favoritesuperlative
1. liked or enjoyed more than any other person or thing of the same type — for exam
liked or enjoyed more than any other person or thing of the same type — for example, a favorite color, a favorite song, or a favorite restaurant.
Xiu's favorite color is green, so she chose soft green paint for her bedroom walls.
favorite + noun — modifies the noun directly
Of all the books Jude has read this year, The Great Gatsby is his favorite.
'is my favorite' — used after the verb 'be' as a predicate adjective
The children asked Miss Nia to read their favorite story before nap time.
This small cafe serves David's favorite breakfast — pancakes with fresh berries.
Alessia packed her favorite sweater for the trip, even though the weather was warm.
- least-liked
the one liked the least in a group
- most-hated
the opposite of being best-liked
文法句型
favorite + noun
be + favorite
用法筆記
This is the American English spelling. In British English, the same word is spelled 'favourite' (with a 'u'). Both spellings are correct in their respective varieties.
常見錯誤
favorite — noun
1. a person or thing that you like more than any other person or thing in a particu
a person or thing that you like more than any other person or thing in a particular group — for example, a child who is the teacher's favorite, or a flavor of ice cream that is your favorite.
Chocolate ice cream is Selim's favorite among all the flavors at the shop.
favorite among + group — specifies the larger set
The teacher's helper was clearly the favorite in Miss Nia's kindergarten class.
Pim owns three guitars, but the acoustic one is his favorite for playing folk songs.
This old armchair is Constanza's favorite spot for reading in the evening.
Among the five candidates, Élise was the manager's favorite for the promotion.
- least favorite
the person or thing liked the least
文法句型
possessive + favorite
favorite among + group
favorite of + group
用法筆記
Can refer to either a person (a child or employee treated with special liking) or a thing (a possession, food, place, etc.). The context makes the meaning clear. Usually requires a possessive or an 'among/of' phrase to show what group the favorite belongs to.
常見錯誤
2. the person, team, or animal that people expect to win a race, contest, or compet
the person, team, or animal that people expect to win a race, contest, or competition — for example, a champion boxer who is the heavy favorite to keep the title.
The defending champion is the heavy favorite to win this year's tennis tournament.
heavy favorite — strong collocation for 'very likely to win'
Although the home team was the favorite, they lost the match by two goals.
Talia placed a bet on the favorite, but the underdog crossed the finish line first.
In the election, the incumbent is the clear favorite according to the latest polls.
After three straight wins, the horse Midnight Storm became the hot favorite.
- front-runner
focuses on being in the leading position in a race or contest, not necessarily on being the expected winner
- top seed
specific to tournaments where players are ranked; the top seed is the one ranked highest, not always the crowd's favorite
- odds-on favorite
a betting term meaning the chances are better than even — suggests even higher certainty than just 'favorite'
文法句型
the + favorite
favorite to + infinitive
clear/heavy/hot + favorite
用法筆記
Commonly used in sports betting and election coverage. Often paired with an infinitive ('favorite to win/qualify/advance'). The opposite is 'underdog' — the competitor expected to lose.