prefer
verb (used with object)
to set or hold before or above other persons or things in estimation; like better; choose rather than.
have preferred
-
present perfectof prefer.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
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.
This is particularly important for new-construction homes, as big builders often have preferred lenders that offer major incentives.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026
Tech companies have preferred a ship-first, sort-it-out-later approach.
From Slate ● Jun. 10, 2026
Historian Swapna Liddle acknowledged the club's elitist origins, but said she would have preferred efforts to reform the institution rather than shutting it down.
From BBC ● May 25, 2026
Tuesday’s minutes noted that “many participants” indicated that they would have preferred removing the word.
From Barron's ● May 20, 2026
For Pelops’ winning the chariot race I have preferred Apollodorus, of the first or second century A.D., who gives the fullest account that has come down to us.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
