All-Time Favorite or All Times Favorite: Which Is Correct? explains why all-time favorite is correct and how proper grammar improves English usage. Many people wonder whether to use all-time favorite or all times favorite when describing something they love most. The correct phrase is all-time favorite, while all times favorite is an incorrect usage in standard English. This English phrase works as an adjective phrase and descriptive phrase because it describes a noun like a favorite thing,
favorite person, favorite place, favorite food, movie, book, or song. Saying my all-time favorite shows your strongest preference, highest preference, or greatest liking for something you value more than anything else you know. The term all-time connects with history, lifetime, and comparison, creating a superlative meaning for a top choice, best-loved, beloved, or cherished selection.
From my experience with English grammar and word usage, the hyphen in all-time favorite plays an important role. It is a compound adjective that follows language rules and improves sentence structure. Without the hyphen, all time favorite can become a grammatical mistake because the meaning may become unclear. Writers often paused while writing and wondered about this grammar question during content creation, digital writing, an essay, blog post, social media caption, marketing copy, or text message.
A missing hyphen or unnecessary s can turn a perfectly correct phrase into an error. Using the right usage, correct spelling, punctuation, and grammatical rules helps you speak and write clearly, improve sentence clarity, and make your writing look polished and professional for any audience. It also strengthens communication, wording, terminology, phrase choice, word choice, vocabulary, spelling, correctness, formal writing, and informal writing.
The Short Answer: All-Time Favorite or All Times Favorite?
The correct phrase is all-time favorite.
The phrase all times favorite is not grammatically correct in standard English.
Here’s a quick comparison.
| Phrase | Correct? | Explanation |
| All-time favorite | ✅ Yes | Standard English expression |
| All time favorite | ✅ Acceptable in informal writing | Hyphen often omitted casually |
| All times favorite | ❌ No | Incorrect grammar |
| All-time’s favorite | ❌ No | Incorrect apostrophe usage |
If you’re writing for school, work, publishing, or professional websites, all-time favorite is almost always the best choice.
What Does “All-Time Favorite” Mean?
The phrase all-time favorite describes something you like more than anything else across every period of your life or history.
It doesn’t mean your favorite “at every moment.” Instead, it means your favorite overall.
Think of it this way.
If someone asks:
What’s your all-time favorite movie?
They’re asking:
Which movie do you like more than any other movie you’ve ever seen?
The phrase compares everything across every point in time.
Simple Definition
All-time favorite means:
The favorite among everything from the past until now.
You can use it for almost anything.
Examples include:
- your all-time favorite song
- your all-time favorite athlete
- your all-time favorite book
- your all-time favorite vacation
- your all-time favorite restaurant
Everyday Examples
Here are some natural examples.
- Pizza is my all-time favorite food.
- Autumn is my all-time favorite season.
- That was my all-time favorite concert.
- This remains my all-time favorite novel.
- She’s my all-time favorite teacher.
Notice that every sentence sounds natural because native English speakers use this expression regularly.
Why “All-Time” Works
The word all-time is a compound adjective.
Compound adjectives combine two or more words to describe another word.
Examples include:
- long-term investment
- full-time employee
- well-known actor
- high-quality product
- all-time favorite
In each example, the compound adjective acts as one descriptive unit.
Instead of saying:
favorite across all time
English shortens it into:
all-time favorite
That’s why the phrase sounds smooth and natural.
Why “All Times Favorite” Is Incorrect
This is where many writers become confused.
Adding an “s” to time changes the meaning.
Instead of referring to history as a whole, times becomes a plural noun.
That creates a phrase that native speakers simply don’t use.
For example:
❌ This is my all times favorite movie.
The sentence sounds awkward because times has no grammatical purpose.
English doesn’t use all times to describe favorites.
Instead, it uses:
- all-time
- of all time
Compare These Sentences
Correct:
- Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time.
- Michael Jordan is an all-time great.
- Pizza is my all-time favorite food.
Incorrect:
- Michael Jordan is the greatest player of all times.
- Pizza is my all times favorite food.
Adding the extra “s” creates a phrase that isn’t accepted in standard English.
Why People Write “All Times Favorite”
Most mistakes happen because people assume:
“Many times” means “all times.”
That seems logical at first.
Unfortunately, English doesn’t follow that pattern here.
Instead, all time refers to the entire span of history as one complete idea.
Think about these examples.
Correct:
- the highest score of all time
- best-selling album of all time
- all-time leading scorer
Incorrect:
- highest score of all times
- best-selling album of all times
- all times leading scorer
The rule stays the same every time.
Understanding the Grammar Behind the Phrase
Let’s break the phrase apart.
All modifies time.
Together they create one descriptive idea.
Once the words become a compound adjective, they describe another noun.
Example:
all-time + favorite
The entire phrase functions as one adjective.
Removing the hyphen or changing time into times breaks that grammatical relationship.
Think About Similar Expressions
English contains many compound adjectives.
| Correct Expression | Meaning |
| full-time job | permanent employment |
| long-term plan | extended plan |
| high-speed train | fast train |
| last-minute decision | final decision |
| all-time favorite | favorite ever |
Notice how none of these become plural.
You wouldn’t say:
- full-times job
- long-terms plan
- high-speeds train
The same logic applies to all-time favorite.
Why the Hyphen Matters
One of the biggest questions people ask is:
Does “all-time” really need a hyphen?
Most grammar experts say yes, especially when it appears before a noun.
The hyphen tells readers that both words belong together.
Without it, readers may briefly wonder whether all describes favorite or time.
Hyphens remove ambiguity.
Compound Adjectives Before Nouns
Use the hyphen when all-time comes before a noun.
Examples:
- all-time favorite movie
- all-time record
- all-time high
- all-time bestseller
- all-time leading scorer
Each phrase treats all-time as one descriptive adjective.
Why Editors Prefer the Hyphen
Professional editors follow one simple goal:
Make reading effortless.
The hyphen improves clarity.
Compare these examples.
Without hyphen:
This is my all time favorite meal.
With hyphen:
This is my all-time favorite meal.
The second version is easier to read because your brain instantly recognizes the compound adjective.
That’s why newspapers, magazines, publishers, and professional websites almost always keep the hyphen.
Examples from Everyday English
You’ll see all-time used in many contexts.
Sports:
- all-time leading scorer
- all-time wins leader
- all-time rushing yards
Entertainment:
- all-time favorite actor
- all-time classic movie
- all-time bestselling novel
Business:
- all-time revenue record
- all-time high stock price
- all-time customer satisfaction score
History:
- all-time greatest inventor
- all-time military leader
- all-time influential scientist
The same grammar rule applies in every field.
When Can You Leave Out the Hyphen?
Sometimes.
In informal writing, many people type:
- all time favorite
- all time record
Most readers still understand the meaning.
However, formal writing follows stricter punctuation standards.
Use the hyphen in:
- academic papers
- business reports
- published articles
- professional blogs
- books
- resumes
- newsletters
If you’re unsure, adding the hyphen is the safest choice.
Style Guide Recommendations
Many major editorial style guides recommend hyphenating compound modifiers before nouns because they improve clarity.
Professional writers also favor consistency.
That’s why you’ll commonly see:
- all-time high
- all-time record
- all-time favorite
- all-time bestseller
instead of unhyphenated versions.
Quick Rule to Remember
Ask yourself one simple question.
Does “all-time” describe the noun immediately after it?
If the answer is yes, use the hyphen.
Examples:
- all-time favorite
- all-time champion
- all-time record
- all-time bestseller
This easy trick will help you avoid one of the most common punctuation mistakes in English.
FQAs
1. Is “all-time favorite” the correct phrase?
Yes, all-time favorite is the correct phrase in standard English. It is used to describe something that you like more than anything else, such as a favorite movie, favorite song, favorite book, or favorite person.
2. Is “all times favorite” grammatically correct?
No, all times favorite is not considered correct in standard English. The extra s in “times” changes the phrase incorrectly. The correct form is all-time favorite with a hyphen.
3. Why does “all-time favorite” need a hyphen?
The hyphen is needed because all-time works as a compound adjective that describes a noun. For example, in “my all-time favorite movie,” the phrase “all-time” modifies the noun “movie.”
4. Can I write “my all time favorite” without a hyphen?
No, writing my all time favorite is grammatically incorrect. The correct spelling is my all-time favorite because the hyphen connects the words into one descriptive phrase.
5. What does “all-time favorite” mean?
All-time favorite means the thing you like the most throughout your life or experience. It represents your highest level of preference or your greatest liking compared with other choices.
6. Can “all-time favorite” describe a person?
Yes, all-time favorite can describe a person. For example, you can say, “She is my all-time favorite singer,” to show that this person is your top choice among all singers you know.
7. Can I use “all-time favorite” in formal writing?
Yes, all-time favorite is suitable for both formal and informal writing. You can use it in essays, articles, blog posts, marketing content, and everyday communication.
8. What is another way to say “all-time favorite”?
Some alternatives include favorite of all time, greatest favorite, top choice, best-loved, most cherished, or most preferred depending on the context.
9. Is “favorite of all time” also correct?
Yes, favorite of all time is also correct. It has a similar meaning to all-time favorite, but it uses a different sentence structure.
10. How can I remember the correct spelling of all-time favorite?
Remember that when two words work together before a noun to describe it, they often need a hyphen. Since all-time describes the favorite item, person, or experience, the hyphen makes the meaning clear.
Conclusion
The correct phrase is all-time favorite, not all times favorite. The hyphen is an important part of the expression because it turns “all-time” into a compound adjective that clearly describes a noun. Whether you are writing a blog post, essay, social media caption, or simply sharing your personal preference, using the correct form helps your writing stay clear, professional, and grammatically accurate. When you want to describe something you love more than anything else, choose all-time favorite as the proper English expression.
