preference
Americannoun
-
preferences
plural
-
the act of preferring.
-
the state of being preferred.
-
that which is preferred; choice.
His preference is vanilla, not chocolate.
-
a practical advantage given to one over others.
-
a prior right or claim, as to payment of dividends or to assets upon dissolution.
-
the favoring of one country or group of countries by granting special advantages over others in international trade.
noun
-
the act of preferring
-
something or someone preferred
-
law
-
the settling of the claims of one or more creditors before or to the exclusion of those of the others
-
a prior right to payment, as of a dividend or share in the assets of a company in the event of liquidation
-
-
commerce the granting of favour or precedence to particular foreign countries, as by levying differential tariffs
Synonym Usage
See choice.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of preference
From the Medieval Latin word praeferentia, dating back to 1595–1605. See prefer, -ence
Explanation
If you have a strong liking for something, you have a preference for it. You might have a preference for apples, but there are some days when you're stuck eating a banana instead. If you grant favors to one person over another, then you are showing a preference or bias. The United States often gives preference to traditional allies like Britain or Canada. In your science class, it's clear that the professor has a preference for certain students and calls on them more often. Preference also refers to a choice or the right to choose — your friend might have a strong preference for which movie you'll see tonight.
Vocabulary lists containing preference
Trumps
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"A Poem for My Librarian, Mrs. Long," Vocabulary from the poem
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Geography and World Regions
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Jack Grealish's preference would be to return to Everton should he leave Manchester City in the remaining days of the transfer window, sources have told BBC Sport.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
Iraola tends to avoid major debriefs in the dressing room after a game, with his personal preference to speak to the players a day later.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
While the Chinese social-media company’s 2Q results were better than Citi expected, its management flagged challenges including a shift in advertising preference toward higher return-on-investment formats, the analysts say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
But both illustrate how valuable it has become for food companies to arrive earlier — to understand appetite not merely after a preference has been expressed, but while it is still taking shape.
From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026
This was followed by the premiere two years later of Cavalli's Ere ole amante in the Salle des Machines in the Tuileries, but the French had by this time developed a preference for ballet.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
Though she showed many classic early childhood indicators — sensitivity to noise, extremely limited food preferences, rigid adherence to routine and difficulties understanding social nuances — no one suggested she was autistic.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
Forti said the veto-wielding nations -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- might wait until later to express their preferences, while new contenders could emerge.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
Harvey II is designed to remember those preferences at the level of the individual user.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026
The study suggests that simply reducing exposure to sweet tastes may not be enough to change people's preferences or improve the health measures examined over six months.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 8, 2026
These are the preferences of the universe itself: verbs over nouns, actions over states, struggle over hope.
From "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates
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.
