all-time favorite

USAGE SUMMARY

"all-time favorite" is a perfectly valid phrase in written English.
It is used to mean something that you have enjoyed or liked in the past and still enjoy or like now. For example, you might say, "My all-time favorite movie is 'The Shawshank Redemption'."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Informal

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

47 human-written examples

"My all-time favorite movie," he said.

The New Yorker

Where is your all-time favorite ride?

The New York Times

All-time favorite musical group: "Beatles".

The New York Times

"It's my all-time favorite guitar".

The New York Times - Style

However, the SE is among my all-time favorite work!

The New York Times

What's your all-time favorite movie based on a book?

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

13 human-written examples

My all time favorite has to be Patrick Norton.

TechCrunch

What's your all time favorite?

Vice

That's my all time favorite".

Huffington Post

He is my all time favorite pianist.

Huffington Post

He is one of my all time favorite actors.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use this phrase to emphasize that something stands out not just currently, but across your entire history of experience.

Common error

A frequent mistake is omitting the hyphen between 'all' and 'time'. While 'favorite of all time' is correct without a hyphen, 'all time favorite' (as a modifier) technically requires one to link the two words into a single unit of meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "all-time favorite" serves as a superlative compound adjective. It is used to modify a noun (such as "movie", "book" or "player") to indicate that the subject holds the highest rank of preference over the entirety of the speaker's life or history. According to Ludwig AI, it is a standard construction that effectively communicates an enduring preference.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Lifestyle & Entertainment

10%

Informal Writing

4%

Less common in

Science

0.5%

Legal Documents

0.3%

Technical Manuals

0.2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "all-time favorite" is an essential idiomatic phrase for expressing significant personal preference. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread use across high-authority news outlets, where it serves as a reliable superlative. The key to its correct usage lies in the hyphenation when used as a modifier, which signals the connection between 'all' and 'time' to create a unified adjective. Whether you are discussing classic cinema, beloved literature, or simple household recipes, this phrase remains a robust tool for writers to convey a sense of historical and personal importance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

all-time favourite

The standard British English spelling variant.

favorite of all time

Expresses the same meaning using a prepositional phrase instead of a compound adjective.

personal favorite

Emphasizes individual subjectivity over a broader historical context.

absolute favorite

Adds a layer of intensity and certainty to the preference.

perennial favorite

Suggests something that is consistently liked over many years.

top pick

A more concise and informal way to indicate a primary choice.

best-loved

A more evocative and slightly more formal adjective.

ultimate favorite

Highlights the item as the final or peak choice in a hierarchy.

preferred choice

Shifts the register to a more formal or professional tone.

all-time like

A much rarer and less idiomatic construction.

FAQs

Is it "all-time favorite" or "all time favorite"?

When used as a modifier before a noun, the correct form is "all-time favorite". If you are not using it to modify a noun directly, you might see the version without a hyphen, but the hyphenated version is the standard for the adjective phrase.

What is a more formal way to say "all-time favorite"?

In formal or academic contexts, you might consider using "historically preferred", "consistently favored", or simply stating it as a "primary choice".

Can I use "all-time favorite" in a professional email?

Yes, it is perfectly acceptable in most professional emails, especially when discussing tastes, recommendations, or common interests. For extremely formal reports, "most highly regarded" might be more appropriate.

How do you use "all-time favorite" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a noun, for example: "This pumpkin bread is my "all-time favorite" recipe".