Synonyms

disfavor

American

[dis-fey-ver] / dɪsˈfeɪ vər /

especially British, disfavour

noun

unfavorable regard; displeasure; disesteem; dislike.

The prime minister incurred the king's disfavor.
the state of being regarded unfavorably; disrepute.

The fashions of one year are in disfavor the next.
a disadvantageous or detrimental act; disservice.

The pianist did himself a disfavor in trying to sing.

verb (used with object)

to regard or treat with disfavor.

Other Word Forms

disfavorer noun

Etymology

Origin of disfavor

First recorded in 1525–35; dis- ¹ + favor

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The program singles out a list of industrial facilities for disfavor, setting a low threshold for the permitting requirements to kick in.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

That harm is firmly anchored in a branch of privacy law that has long been recognized, but has fallen into disfavor in recent years.

From Slate • Jan. 15, 2026

That shaving scene referenced earlier dramatizes why this and other supposedly neutral policies painfully disfavor some people without diving into a medical manual.

From Salon • Oct. 10, 2025

This is not exactly in the show’s disfavor.

From Los Angeles Times • May 2, 2025

He would never have done that if not for Reynie’s urging, and now it had put him into disfavor with Mr. Curtain.

From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023