preferable
Americanadjective
Usage
Since preferable already means more desirable, one should not say something is more preferable or most preferable
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of preferable
From the French word préfsptérable, dating back to 1640–50. See prefer, -able
Explanation
When one thing seems like a better option than another, it is preferable. If you would rather have chocolate ice cream than vanilla, it means that chocolate is preferable to you. Graduating from high school is usually preferable to dropping out, and traveling a long distance by train is always preferable to getting there on roller skates. The hardest thing about preferable is pronunciation: remember to place the stress on the first syllable, pref, and not on the second syllable as in the word prefer.
Vocabulary lists containing preferable
Commonly Misspelled Words, List 3
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -able, -ible
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Novel Study: Anthem, Chapters 1–6
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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.
A link hasn’t been proven, and acetaminophen has been long recommended by the major medical groups as the preferable painkiller for women to take during pregnancy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
"Settlement of this conflict through political and diplomatic means remains preferable" for Russia, Peskov added.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
It’s preferable to collect the EIN information in the summer, while it’s top of mind and a camp’s offices are up and running, Pon said.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026
The majority acknowledges that its reading creates some overlap in the statute but concludes that a modest amount of redundancy is preferable to giving words an unnatural meaning.
From Slate ● Jun. 26, 2026
Simultaneously, they seek to minimize their risk of starving: moderate but reliable returns are preferable to a fluctuating lifestyle with a high time-averaged rate of return but a substantial likelihood of starving to death.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
