act in favour of

USAGE SUMMARY

'act in favor of' is a correct phrase in written English.
It is usually used to mean that someone has done something that will benefit someone or something else. For example, "The legislature acted in favor of the proposed bill, passing it into law."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

"Our objective is to get the People's party to act in favour of women.

The Guardian

"The doing business [rankings] give points to countries when they act in favour of 'ease of doing business'.

The Guardian

He wrote, "Never have you done one single act in favour of the labourers of this country".

The Guardian

The Conservatives claim their plan to scrap the Human Rights Act in favour of a British bill of rights will preserve Magna Carta's principles (Report, 15 June).

The Guardian

In the previous decade the British government had stopped interning suspects without trial under the Special Powers Act in favour of conviction through the non-jury Diplock courts.

The Guardian

Whatever one thinks of the efficacy of boycotting as a tactic, isolating South Africa was a political act in favour of democracy.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

Ignoring pressure from Nariaki and others to bring new groups into the policy-making machinery, he acted in favour of the fudai daimyo, who had appointed him, by promoting the shogun's cousin as heir apparent.

Britannica

Further encouraging services of public interest and duty, the group are pressing to ensure the BBC acts in favour of the public, not profit and to consider secure and transparent long-term sources of funding.

Huffington Post

This results in the autocrine secretion of cytokines, which acts in favour of the tumor cells, and has a negative impact on the therapeutic response in patients [ 55, 56].

BMC Cancer

Quite apart from courts allowing competition law to be used as a weapon against public interest campaigners, the real enemy of free speech lies in a cumbersome, expensive, uniform Defamation Act, skewed in favour of plaintiffs.

The Guardian - Opinion

They think that the formation of a Mars Environment working group at ESA, in the course of the AURORA definition phase, could act positively in favour of the program, by increasing its scientific cross-section and making it still more focused on human exploration.

Advances in Space Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "act in favour of", ensure that the subject clearly benefits from the action being described. For instance, "The new policy acted in favour of small businesses" clarifies the beneficiary.

Common error

Avoid using "act in favour of" when describing a neutral action that doesn't inherently benefit a specific party. For example, instead of "The referee acted in favour of fair play", consider "The referee acted to ensure fair play".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "act in favour of" functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies a verb, indicating the beneficiary or the recipient of the action. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and used to describe beneficial actions.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "act in favour of" is a grammatically sound expression used to describe actions taken to benefit or support a particular entity, as Ludwig AI confirms. While not as common as simpler alternatives like "support", it provides a nuanced way to highlight the beneficiary of an action. This phrase appears most frequently in news and media, scientific, and formal business contexts. When using this phrase, ensure clarity in identifying the subject receiving the benefit and avoid using it in situations that don't inherently advantage a specific party. Consider alternatives such as "support" or "promote" for simpler communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

support

This single-word alternative provides a concise way to convey the same meaning.

back

A simple synonym for "support", implying endorsement.

promote

This verb implies active support and endorsement of something.

advocate for

This phrase emphasizes public support and active promotion of a cause or idea.

be supportive of

This alternative highlights the attitude of providing support.

champion

Suggests actively defending or promoting something.

take the side of

This expression suggests choosing one party or opinion over another.

further the interests of

Highlights the aspect of advancing someone's or something's benefits.

be on the side of

This option indicates allegiance or support for a particular person or group.

work towards

Focuses on the action of contributing to a specific goal.

FAQs

What does "act in favour of" mean?

The phrase "act in favour of" means to take action that benefits or supports a particular person, group, or cause. It indicates that the actions taken are advantageous to the specified subject.

How can I use "act in favour of" in a sentence?

You can use "act in favour of" to describe situations where someone's actions are beneficial to someone else. For example, "The new regulations "act in favour of" environmental protection".

What are some alternatives to "act in favour of"?

You can use alternatives like "support", "promote", or "advocate for" depending on the context.

Is there a difference between "act in favour of" and "support"?

While both phrases imply assistance, "act in favour of" suggests a more direct action or decision that benefits someone, whereas "support" is a broader term that can include moral or practical assistance.