favour
9 synonyms and 2 antonyms for favour, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — British spelling of favor: a kind or helpful act, or approval and support shown toward someone.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
good turn
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
British spelling of favor: a kind or helpful act, or approval and support shown toward someone.
“Could you do me a favour and pick up some milk?”
Opposites
How to use favour
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
do someone a favour
in favour of
curry favour
Frequently asked questions
What does “favour” mean?
The word “favour” means british spelling of favor: a kind or helpful act, or approval and support shown toward someone. In plain terms, a kind act, approval, or preference — British spelling of the American "favor".
How do you use “favour” in a sentence?
Here is “favour” used in a sentence: “Could you do me a favour and pick up some milk?”
What part of speech is “favour”?
Depending on how it is used, “favour” can be a noun and a verb.
Is “favour” a common word?
“Favour” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “favour” have?
“Favour” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: british spelling of favor: a kind or helpful act, or approval and support shown toward someone.
What is the difference between 'favour' and 'favor'?
There is no difference in meaning: 'favour' is the British spelling and 'favor' is the American spelling of the same word. British, Australian, and Canadian writing generally use 'favour', while American writing uses 'favor'.
Should I use 'favour' or 'favor' in UK English?
In UK English, 'favour' with the 'u' is the correct standard spelling. This applies to related forms as well, such as 'favourite', 'favourable', and 'favouring'.
What is the difference between 'do someone a favour' and 'be in favour of'?
'Do someone a favour' means to perform a kind or helpful act for them, using 'favour' as a noun. 'Be in favour of' means to support or approve of something, expressing preference rather than a single helpful action.
Do you say 'in favour of' or 'in favour to'?
The correct phrase is 'in favour of', as in 'the committee voted in favour of the plan'. 'In favour to' is not standard English.
