preferably
Britishadverb
Explanation
The adverb preferably refers to the most desirable choice. You could say you were looking for a new car, preferably a hybrid. That means that a hybrid is the kind of car you would choose over any other kind. As preferably is the adverb form of the word "prefer," we can find its roots in the Latin praeferre, which means "to set before." When you use preferably you're saying you'd set that choice before all others, though you might accept something else. Musician David Byrne once said, "I wanted to be a secret agent and an astronaut, preferably at the same time."
Vocabulary lists containing preferably
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
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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.
On summer weekends, thousands show up in Guerneville with kayaks, canoes, inner tubes — just about anything that will float, preferably with a cooler attached.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
Whether Mr. Ueda or Ms. Takaichi—or preferably both in concert—can navigate out of this thicket will determine whether the yen needs rescuing again soon.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
"The requirements for men are very high in my city. You need to have a car, a house and your family should preferably run a business," he says.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
As for toppings, I like to add more bananas, preferably barely ripe or ripe, along with cut-up strawberries, slivered almonds and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.
From Salon ● Jun. 20, 2026
“If you’re going to the attic, take an umbrella with you, preferably a large one!”
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
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.
