preference

American  

[pref-er-uhns, pref-ruhns] / ˈprɛf ər əns, ˈprɛf rəns /

noun

• preferences
  plural

1. the act of preferring.

2. the state of being preferred.

3. that which is preferred; choice.

   His preference is vanilla, not chocolate.

   Synonyms:

   pick, selection

4. a practical advantage given to one over others.

5. a prior right or claim, as to payment of dividends or to assets upon dissolution.

6. the favoring of one country or group of countries by granting special advantages over others in international trade.

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preference British  

/ ˈprɛfrəns, ˈprɛfərəns /

noun

1. the act of preferring

2. something or someone preferred

3. law

   1. the settling of the claims of one or more creditors before or to the exclusion of those of the others

   2. a prior right to payment, as of a dividend or share in the assets of a company in the event of liquidation

4. commerce the granting of favour or precedence to particular foreign countries, as by levying differential tariffs

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Synonym Usage

See choice.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonpreference
  noun
• self-preference
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• preferences
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

preference preferences

"The current model of providing emergency general surgery across two sites is becoming increasingly unsustainable and our preference is for a planned and managed change to avoid potential service collapse," the spokesperson said.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

Bonta previously has said his preference would be structural remedies — divesting key business units — rather than “behavioral” compromises that could evaporate soon after the merger closed.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

That natural preference can prevent researchers from directing reactions toward other potentially useful pathways.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026

The mosquitoes that bred in settlements eventually evolved a preference for blood meals from their human neighbors, who were now the most available food source.

From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026

A preference for round windows, and even round doors, was the chief remaining peculiarity of hobbit-architecture.

From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien

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

Villatoro, 33 years old, had spent weeks texting with the bot, telling it about her habits, values, background and dating preferences.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

Diplomats are reluctant to predict the outcome because the council's five permanent members -- the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom -- have yet to indicate their preferences.

From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who supports Stevens, doesn’t dictate each race, and some of his preferences are made more overt than others.

From Slate ● Jul. 30, 2026

They would reveal their actual preferences later, in confidential e-mails to the people they wanted to date.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt

Related Words

• choice
• desire
• inclination
• option
• predilection
• weakness