disfavor

1 of 2

noun

dis·​fa·​vor (ˌ)dis-ˈfā-vər How to pronounce disfavor (audio)
Synonyms of disfavornext
1
: disapproval, dislike
practices looked upon with disfavor
2
: the state or fact of being no longer favored
fell into disfavor
3
: disadvantage

disfavor

2 of 2

verb

disfavored; disfavoring; disfavors

transitive verb

: to withhold or withdraw favor from

Synonyms of disfavor

Relevance

Noun

Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of disfavor in a Sentence

Noun He regarded their proposal with disfavor. They looked with disfavor upon her. Verb The current laws favor large businesses and disfavor smaller businesses. a style of stage acting that is disfavored by most theatergoers today
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.
Noun
Now the scientists fell into deep disfavor. — Literary Hub, 23 Mar. 2026 Given Franklin’s disfavor in London, William could expect no promotion. — Stacy Schiff, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
Those amendments were designed to stop partisan gerrymandering and require that maps not be drawn to favor or disfavor a political party or incumbent. — Dan Daley, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026 Further, any politicization of the evaluation process—like opposing the release of models whose outputs disfavor a certain administration’s political views—could decrease trust in AI. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 6 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for disfavor

Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably from Middle French desfaveur, from des- dis- + faveur favor, from Old French favor

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1571, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of disfavor was circa 1533

Phrases Containing disfavor

Rhymes for disfavor

See All Rhymes for disfavor

Browse Nearby Words

disfashion
disfavor
disfeature
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Disfavor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disfavor. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

disfavor

1 of 2 noun
dis·​fa·​vor (ˈ)dis-ˈfā-vər How to pronounce disfavor (audio)
1
: dislike entry 1, disapproval
practices looked upon with disfavor
2
: the state or fact of being disliked or disapproved
fell into disfavor

disfavor

2 of 2 verb
: dislike entry 2, disapprove

More from Merriam-Webster on disfavor

Nglish: Translation of disfavor for Spanish Speakers

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