Favour or Favor | Meaning, Spelling & Examples
Favor and favour are different spellings of the verb meaning ‘prefer’ or ‘give support to’ and the noun used to refer to an act of kindness or to mean ‘approval’.
The spelling varies depending on whether you’re using UK or US English:
- In UK English, ‘favour’ (with a ‘u’) is the correct spelling.
- In US English, ‘favor’ (with no ‘u’) is standard.
Do yourself a favour/favor and take my advice.
Both political parties favour/favor a peaceful transfer of power.
For all intents and purposes, I am in favour/favor of the proposed budget cutbacks.
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Favourite or favorite
The same spelling distinction carries over to the related words ‘favourite/favorite’ (meaning ‘preferred above all others’) and ‘favourable/favorable’ (meaning ‘advantageous’ or ‘complimentary’).
- In UK English, ‘favourite’ and ‘favourable’ (with a ‘u’) are standard.
- In US English, ‘favorite’ and ‘favorable’ (with no ‘u’) are correct.
The ferry operates only when weather conditions are favourable/favorable.
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If you want to know more about commonly confused words, definitions, and differences between US and UK spellings, make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.
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Ryan, E. (2023, May 23). Favour or Favor | Meaning, Spelling & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 22 April 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/uk-vs-us/favour-vs-favor/
