To curry favor means to try to win someone's approval or good opinion through flattery, special attention, or small favors, often in a way that feels insincere or calculating. When someone curries favor with the teacher by constantly complimenting her and volunteering for every classroom task (while ignoring the actual work), classmates notice the artificial friendliness.

The phrase suggests the kind of careful, deliberate attention someone gives when they want something in return. A student might curry favor with the coach by showing up early to practices and offering to carry equipment, hoping to earn more playing time. An employee might curry favor with the boss by laughing extra hard at every joke and agreeing with everything said in meetings.

There's a difference between being genuinely kind or helpful and currying favor. When you help a friend move because you care about them, that's friendship. When you suddenly start being extra nice to someone right before asking them for a big favor, you might be currying favor. The phrase usually carries a negative tone because it suggests the person isn't being authentic: they're being nice as a strategy, not because they genuinely want to be helpful or kind. People generally sense when someone is currying favor, and it can backfire, making others trust that person less.