favoritism

noun

fa·​vor·​it·​ism ˈfā-v(ə-)rə-ˌti-zəm How to pronounce favoritism (audio)
ˈfā-vər-
Synonyms of favoritismnext
1
: the showing of special favor : partiality
2
: the state or fact of being a favorite

Examples of favoritism in a Sentence

He accused the teacher of showing favoritism in assigning grades.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The president purportedly did not wish to show any favoritism. — Drew Goins, The Atlantic, 23 July 2026 Political influence, subsidized financing, and favoritism remained serious risks. — James Broughel, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026 The quick exit has led to a reckoning within South Korea's football world — fueled by intense anger over accusations of favoritism and cronyism involved in the appointment of coach Hong Myung-bo. — Juliana Kim, NPR, 16 July 2026 Their past two victories against Switzerland and Egypt came with the help of controversial calls that had the soccer-watching populace buzzing about potential favoritism toward Argentina. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 14 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for favoritism

Word History

First Known Use

1763, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of favoritism was in 1763

Rhymes for favoritism

See All Rhymes for favoritism

Browse Nearby Words

favorite son
favoritism
favorless
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Favoritism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/favoritism. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

favoritism

noun
fa·​vor·​it·​ism ˈfāv-(ə-)rət-ˌiz-əm How to pronounce favoritism (audio)
: unfairly favorable treatment of some while neglecting others

More from Merriam-Webster on favoritism

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for favoritism

Nglish: Translation of favoritism for Spanish Speakers

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