prefer
Americanverb (used with object)
-
prefers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
preferred,
past participle, past
-
preferring
present participle
-
to set or hold before or above other persons or things in estimation; like better; choose rather than.
to prefer beef to chicken.
- Antonyms:
- reject
-
Law. to give priority, as to one creditor over another.
-
to put forward or present (a statement, suit, charge, etc.) for consideration or sanction.
- Antonyms:
- retract
-
to put forward or advance, as in rank or office; promote.
to be preferred for advancement.
verb (used without object)
-
prefers,
present (3rd person singular)
-
preferred,
past participle, past
-
preferring
present participle
verb
-
(when tr, may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to like better or value more highly
I prefer to stand
-
law to give preference, esp to one creditor over others
-
(esp of the police) to put (charges) before a court, judge, magistrate, etc, for consideration and judgment
-
(tr; often passive) to advance in rank over another or others; promote
Usage
Normally, to is used after prefer and preferable, not than: I prefer Brahms to Tchaikovsky; a small income is preferable to no income at all . However, than or rather than should be used to link infinitives: I prefer to walk than/rather than to catch the train
Synonym Usage
See choose.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
prefersimple
-
preferssimple
-
have preferredperfect
-
has preferredperfect
-
am preferringprogressive
-
are preferringprogressive
-
is preferringprogressive
-
have been preferringperfect progressive
-
has been preferringperfect progressive
Past
-
preferredsimple
-
had preferredperfect
-
was preferringprogressive
-
were preferringprogressive
-
had been preferringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of prefer
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English preferren, prefer(re), from Anglo-French, Old French preferer, from Latin praeferre “to bear before, set before, prefer,” equivalent to prae- pre- + ferre to bear 1
Explanation
Prefer means to like better. If your parents prefer your sister to you, chances are her allowance will be higher and you'll get blamed for things she's done. If someone offers you hamburgers and hot dogs, it's more polite to say, "I'd prefer a hot dog," than "Blech, hamburgers. Gag me!" Note that prefer means not just to like, but to like better––you're comparing two or more things. Whether it be chocolate ice cream over other flavors, or getting going first thing in the morning as opposed to lounging in your PJs, what you prefer is called your preference. And if you like them all the same, you can say you have no preference
Vocabulary lists containing prefer
The Secret Life of Bees
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"Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare, Act III
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The Circuit
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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.
See Examples For:
Still seeking the eighth world title that would mean he surpasses former rival Stephen Hendry, O'Sullivan has said he would prefer to retire rather than ever enter qualifying events.
From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026
You can describe the toppings in magnificent detail or simply promise “lots of toppings!” if you’d prefer not to commit to a particular spread.
From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026
It’s uncomfortable to acknowledge this—most people prefer to keep up the pretense that all families have tight, loving relationships—but it’s the reality.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026
On the morning Holmes is due to report to prison, Fielder arrives with a parting gag gift: hair dye and glasses, in case she’d prefer to disguise herself and flee the country.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
“I’m sure you are wise, Madame. But I prefer to live in hope. The day will come when he finally appears at the door. What a happy reunion that will be!”
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
One thing that Amjad Baig, the 2024 Trump voter and community organizer, kept making clear to me is that in everyday life, he’s not a partisan, and he prefers it that way.
From Slate ● Oct. 23, 2026
She prefers using diversion programs to handle defendants suffering from mental illness or addiction issues, according to her campaign website, but hasn’t specifically said she’d ban deputy city attorneys from filing any particular case.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 22, 2026
Caroline prefers to discuss business through email, Facebook Messenger or Zoom.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026
In real life, he prefers to delegate the unpleasant task to an underling.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026
He’s fifteen and prefers groaning to actual human words.
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
"Residents who wish to evacuate will receive coordinated support and transportation to their preferred destination. I anticipate some will want to go to Russia, and some to Ukraine," she said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026
Underlying earnings before interest, taxes and amortization—one of the company’s preferred profit metrics—grew 11% to 211 million euros, ahead of consensus forecasts of 200 million euros.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026
As an adult, it remains challenging to coordinate schedules and availability, not to mention alignment with other critical details like preferred arrival times and seating/standing location.
From Salon ● Oct. 21, 2026
Buying CDS protection “remains our preferred way of playing the AI story in the credit derivatives market,” a Morgan Stanley team wrote in an Oct.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 21, 2026
But Handsome was a friend, and Duane knew that Handsome preferred, as he put it, to obey the rules and etiquette of society in regard to the decorum of social gatherings both big and small.
From "The Very, Very Far North" by Dan Bar-el
The 56-year-old First Lady carefully guards her image and is an infrequent presence at the White House, preferring to stay in New York where her son Barron is studying.
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2026
The challenge now is helping people overcome barriers to outdoor activity, such as safety concerns, fear of falling, or simply preferring the comfort of the sofa – particularly during wetter, colder months.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 19, 2026
Many investors frown on the routine use of one-off payments, preferring consistent long-term performance measures for setting compensation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
Analysts often note that investors give the revenue-generating automotive business little attention, preferring to focus on robotaxis and other ventures.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
More than once, the scurvy swab made a panic-stricken dive over the side, preferring to swim ashore, where he would cope ultimately with Dad, instead of meeting the captain on the latter’s own quarterdeck.
From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
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