preference
Americannoun
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the act of preferring.
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the state of being preferred.
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that which is preferred; choice.
His preference is vanilla, not chocolate.
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a practical advantage given to one over others.
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a prior right or claim, as to payment of dividends or to assets upon dissolution.
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the favoring of one country or group of countries by granting special advantages over others in international trade.
noun
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the act of preferring
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something or someone preferred
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law
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the settling of the claims of one or more creditors before or to the exclusion of those of the others
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a prior right to payment, as of a dividend or share in the assets of a company in the event of liquidation
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commerce the granting of favour or precedence to particular foreign countries, as by levying differential tariffs
Synonym Usage
See choice.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of preference
From the Medieval Latin word praeferentia, dating back to 1595–1605. See prefer, -ence
Explanation
If you have a strong liking for something, you have a preference for it. You might have a preference for apples, but there are some days when you're stuck eating a banana instead. If you grant favors to one person over another, then you are showing a preference or bias. The United States often gives preference to traditional allies like Britain or Canada. In your science class, it's clear that the professor has a preference for certain students and calls on them more often. Preference also refers to a choice or the right to choose — your friend might have a strong preference for which movie you'll see tonight.
Vocabulary lists containing preference
Trumps
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"A Poem for My Librarian, Mrs. Long," Vocabulary from the poem
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Geography and World Regions
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Asked on the papal plane about his preference between La Liga's two biggest clubs, Leo plumped for Los Blancos over their eternal rivals Barcelona.
From Barron's • Jun. 6, 2026
Talking about his ambitions, Jones said his first preference was a role in the Department for Business and Trade, then headed by Reynolds but now led by Peter Kyle.
From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026
Pollsters conducted the UnidosUS survey between April 27 and May 14 over the phone, text invites and online panels in English and Spanish, depending on the participant’s preference.
From Salon • Jun. 3, 2026
California’s “jungle primary” system identifies the top two vote-getters in each race — regardless of party preference — who then advance to November’s general election.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2026
“So, next: I’m going to pair you guys up. I don’t want you to pair with people you’re rooming with, but if you indicated a preference on your application, I’ve taken that into account.”
From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
