Favorite vs. Favourite: What’s the Difference?

The words favorite and favourite mean the same thing — something or someone you like best.

The only difference is spelling based on where you are.

Here’s the quick rule:

• Favorite → American English 🇺🇸
• Favourite → British English 🇬🇧

1. Favorite: American English Spelling

Meaning

“Favorite” is the standard spelling in American English.
It’s used for both nouns and adjectives to describe something preferred above others.

Examples (10 total)

1. Pizza is my favorite food.
2. That’s my favorite song of all time.
3. She’s my favorite teacher.
4. Blue is his favorite color.
5. This is my favorite book series.
6. What’s your favorite place to travel?
7. He picked his favorite movie for movie night.
8. That store is my favorite in the mall.
9. They voted this café as their favorite spot.
10. It’s my favorite way to relax after work.

🧠 Tip:
If you’re writing for a U.S. audience (or Canada leaning American), use favorite.

“Ice cream is my favorite dessert.” ✅

2. Favourite: British English Spelling

Meaning

“Favourite” (with a u) is used in British, Australian, Canadian, and Indian English.
It has the same meaning — it’s just the British spelling.

Examples (10 total)

1. Tea is my favourite drink.
2. That’s my favourite subject at school.
3. London is my favourite city.
4. She’s my favourite actress.
5. This is my favourite jumper.
6. Football is his favourite sport.
7. That bakery makes my favourite pastries.
8. This park is a local favourite.
9. He’s everyone’s favourite character.
10. That’s my favourite memory from childhood.

🧠 Tip:
If you’re writing for a U.K. or Commonwealth audience, use favourite to fit local spelling norms.

“Chocolate is my favourite treat.” ✅

3. Quick Comparison Table

4. Other “-or” vs “-our” Word Pairs

The difference between favorite and favourite follows the same rule as many other U.S. vs U.K. spellings:

🧠 Pattern:
American English drops the “u” in many words that British English keeps.

5. How to Remember

👉 Favorite → shorter → American style (less letters)
👉 Favourite → longer → British style (more letters)

💡 Memory Trick:

Americans like things simple — no “u.”
Brits like things traditional — keep the “u.”

6. Common Mistakes

❌ What’s your favourite color? (in U.S. writing)
✅ What’s your favorite color?

❌ He’s my favorite footballer. (in U.K. writing)
✅ He’s my favourite footballer.

7. Why It’s Confusing

The two versions mean exactly the same thing — so the confusion comes from regional spelling standards.
If you mix them up, it’s not a grammatical mistake, but readers might notice your spelling inconsistency.

Modern grammar checkers and localization tools like Humanizey automatically adapt your spelling to match your audience’s region — helping your writing sound native and natural.

FAQs

1. Is “favorite” wrong in the U.K.?

No, but favourite is preferred. Using “favorite” looks American to British readers.

2. Is “favourite” wrong in the U.S.?

No, but it looks foreign or inconsistent in American English.

3. Do Canadians use “favorite” or “favourite”?

Both are used, but favourite is more common in formal writing.

4. Should I match the audience’s spelling?

Yes — use the spelling your readers expect.

Practice: Choose the Correct Form (“Favorite” or “Favourite”)

(Answers are listed at the end.)

1. This is my ___ song.
2. What’s your ___ restaurant?
3. Chocolate cake is her ___ dessert.
4. He’s my ___ football player.
5. The park is a local ___.
6. Tea is my grandma’s ___.
7. I voted for my ___ artist.
8. This café is my new ___.
9. The team won the ___ award.
10. That’s everyone’s ___ memory.

Answers

1. favorite / favourite
2. favorite / favourite
3. favorite / favourite
4. favourite (British) / favorite (American)
5. favorite / favourite
6. favourite
7. favorite / favourite
8. favorite / favourite
9. favorite / favourite
10. favorite / favourite