favourite
/ˈfeɪvərɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfeɪvərɪt/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈfeɪ.vər.ɪt/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfeɪ.vər.ət/ (ame, ipa)
favourite — adjective
- favouritepositive
- more favouritecomparative
- most favouritesuperlative
1. liked or enjoyed above all others in a group; your top choice when you compare s
liked or enjoyed above all others in a group; your top choice when you compare similar options, people, or activities.
Her favourite colour is blue, so she painted her bedroom walls a deep shade of it.
[possessive] + favourite + [noun] for personal preferences
Tariro read her favourite book, The Hobbit, aloud to her younger sister every evening.
Fish and chips is still the nation's favourite takeaway meal, even after all these years.
This old armchair is my favourite spot for reading on rainy Sunday afternoons.
Xiu always listens to her favourite podcast during the long bus ride to school.
- preferred
more formal; suggests a deliberate choice among options rather than personal taste
- best-liked
more literal and less common in everyday speech
- dearest
stronger emotional tone; usually used for people or beloved possessions
- least-liked
the direct opposite in ranking terms
- hated
much stronger; not a neutral opposite
文法句型
[possessive] + favourite + [noun]
the + favourite + [noun]
用法筆記
Used directly before the noun it describes. In US English the spelling is 'favorite'.
常見錯誤
2. used humorously or with irritation to refer to an unpleasant event, situation, o
used humorously or with irritation to refer to an unpleasant event, situation, or expression that you have experienced too many times and strongly dislike.
The washing machine broke again — just another fine mess, as my uncle's favourite saying goes.
ironic use: favourite = disliked because of over-familiarity
Vinícius muttered under his breath, 'Late trains — my favourite way to start the day.'
A sudden power cut during the match — one of Dad's favourite kinds of bad luck.
Maeve rolled her eyes. 'A flat tyre — my favourite end to a long week,' she said.
- least favourite
the literal opposite; not ironic but expresses the same dislike directly
- favourite (sense 1)
the genuine positive meaning from which the ironic sense is inverted
文法句型
[possessive] + favourite + [noun] (meaning the opposite)
用法筆記
Used ironically to mean the opposite of sense 1 — something you strongly dislike because it causes repeated trouble or annoyance. Recognisable by the context or tone of voice. Common in informal British speech.
常見錯誤
favourite — noun
- favouritesingular
- favouritesplural
1. the thing that you like more than any other of its type; the one you would pick
the thing that you like more than any other of its type; the one you would pick first if you had to choose.
Of all the songs on the album, 'Moon River' is my favourite by far.
[possessive] + favourite without a following noun
Chocolate ice cream was little Marta's favourite, and she asked for it every Sunday after lunch.
Niran said his favourite from the menu is the lamb curry with rice and papadums.
The librarian asked each child to bring their favourite to show and tell on Friday morning.
Among the paintings in the gallery, the seascape was clearly the crowd's favourite that evening.
- first choice
less emotional; focuses on decision rather than personal attachment
- preference
more formal; can apply to any selection among options
- pick
informal; often used in casual voting or choosing contexts
- least favourite
the item at the bottom of your personal ranking
文法句型
[possessive] + favourite
the + favourite
用法筆記
Unlike the adjective form, this noun does not sit before another noun. It stands alone and usually follows a possessive (my favourite, her favourite) or 'the'.
常見錯誤
2. someone who receives better treatment than others from an authority figure, ofte
someone who receives better treatment than others from an authority figure, often in a way that feels unfair to the rest of the group.
The coach's favourite always starts every match, even when others have trained harder all week.
[possessive] + favourite referring to a favoured person
The manager clearly had his favourites on the sales team, which upset the others.
Aylin tried not to play favourites, but everyone knew Luca was her favourite student.
The other children whispered that Sivan was the teacher's favourite who never got told off.
Imani suspected that the promotion went to the boss's favourite rather than the most qualified candidate.
- pet
informal; often used among children or in workplace gossip
- teacher's pet
specific to school settings; always disapproving
- blue-eyed boy
British informal; refers to a male who is unfairly favoured
文法句型
[possessive] + favourite
the + favourite
用法筆記
Often carries a critical or disapproving tone, suggesting that the special treatment is unfair to others. The uncountable noun 'favouritism' describes this practice.
常見錯誤
3. the person, team, or animal considered most likely to come first in a contest, e
the person, team, or animal considered most likely to come first in a contest, election, or sporting event by the public, judges, or bookmakers.
The horse was the clear favourite but finished third, well behind the outsider.
the favourite + to + [verb] for probability of winning
Despite being the underdog, the young player beat the tournament favourite in straight sets.
Joaquín's team went into the final as hot favourites after winning every match that season.
Bookmakers have made her the early favourite for gold at the next Olympic Games.
The Labour candidate was favourite to win the seat, according to local opinion polls.
- front-runner
focuses on being ahead in a competition, not necessarily in betting odds
- top contender
suggests the person is among the best competitors, not necessarily the single most likely winner
- odds-on favourite
more specific; used in gambling contexts to mean the bet is highly likely to pay out
文法句型
the + favourite + to + [verb]
a + [adjective] + favourite
用法筆記
Commonly paired with adjectives like 'clear', 'hot', 'strong', 'early', 'narrow'. The opposite term is 'underdog' (the one expected to lose). In betting contexts, the favourite has the shortest odds.
常見錯誤
4. a website address or online file that you save on your computer, phone, or table
a website address or online file that you save on your computer, phone, or tablet so you can open it again quickly without typing the full link.
Christopher added the recipe page to his favourites so he could find it again easily.
saved to [possessive] + favourites — computing context
You can organise your favourites into folders by topic, such as travel, recipes, or news sites.
I lost all my saved favourites when my laptop crashed last week.
Élise keeps a folder of favourites for design blogs that she checks every morning at work.
You can import your favourites from another computer when you set up a new device.
- bookmark
the more universal term across browsers and devices; 'favourites' is the term used by Microsoft and some social media platforms
文法句型
[possessive] + favourites
add/save to + favourites
用法筆記
Almost always used in the plural ('favourites') when referring to the collection of saved pages. In US English, spelled 'favorites' and often appears in browser menu bars as 'Bookmarks' or 'Favorites'. The verb form is 'to favourite a page'.
常見錯誤
favourite — verb
- favouritepresent simple I / you / we / they
- favourites3rd person singular
- favouriting-ing form
- favouritedpast simple
1. to save the web address of a site, page, photo, or social-media post on your pho
to save the web address of a site, page, photo, or social-media post on your phone or computer, allowing you to open it again later with a single click.
Arjun favourited the online store so he could check for new items each week without searching.
favourite + [noun] — active transitive use
You can favourite a tweet by tapping the heart icon that appears below the message.
favourite a post — common on social media platforms
Favourite this page before you close the tab, or you will lose the address.
Esme always favourited the travel blog posts that had useful tips about cheap accommodation.
The app lets you favourite a recipe and then find it later under your saved collection.
文法句型
favourite + [noun phrase (web page / post / file)]
用法筆記
This use as a verb is relatively recent and most common on social-media platforms (Twitter/X, Facebook, Pinterest) and in web browsers. In US English, it is spelled 'favorite'. Some platforms use 'like' or 'bookmark' instead.