preferably

British  

/ ˈprɛfrəblɪ, ˈprɛfərəblɪ /

adverb

1. ideally; by preference; if one had a choice

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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."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

preferably

Back to her next steps: Before investing the inheritance — preferably, conservative investments given her age — she should make sure she has enough set aside in an emergency fund to cover unexpected expenses.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 18, 2026

At the end of the day, though, Hernández wants to be healthy, preferably in Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 14, 2026

Until one or the other, or preferably both, decide to offer concessions, renewed full-scale hostilities remain an incident away.

From BBC ● May 5, 2026

“Hag” is meant to be watched, enjoyed and watched all over again, preferably with a different set of friends than the first go-round so the gospel can spread as quickly as possible.

From Salon ● Apr. 5, 2026

Now they just had to defeat the giants, preferably without destroying the city of Rome, and get out of here to find their friends.

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan