Favor or Favour | 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.
Examples: Favor and favour in a sentence
I don’t mean to be presumptuous, but can you please do me a favour/favor?

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.

Note
Many words that end in “-our” in UK English end in “-or” in US English. Some other common examples include “behaviour/behavior,” “colour/color,” “honour/honor,” and “flavour/flavor.”

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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.
Examples: Other forms of favour and favor in a sentence
Tiramisu is undoubtedly my favourite/favorite dessert.

The ferry operates only when weather conditions are favourable/favorable.

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Other interesting language articles

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, March 14). Favor or Favour | Meaning, Spelling & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved November 28, 2023, from https://www.scribbr.com/us-vs-uk/favor-or-favour/

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Eoghan Ryan

Eoghan has a lot of experience with theses and dissertations at bachelor's, MA, and PhD level. He has taught university English courses, helping students to improve their research and writing.