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.
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
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
And preferably after she’s told her partner what she wants.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 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
But preferably not, I need it for drawing.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
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.
