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

Netanyahu didn’t express a preference for any of the options and told Trump it was his decision, the Israeli official said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

Chief Financial Officer Paul Jacobson said consumers have been "very resilient," with the company observing no shifts in vehicle preference due to higher gasoline prices resulting from the US-Iran war.

From Barron's ● Jul. 21, 2026

Despite its preference for Democratic governors, Colorado was, until not that long ago, a competitive two-party state.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2026

The amendment that was rejected in Tuesday's vote was a provision on preference voting, allowing voters to choose preferred candidates from a list.

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026

The gamelan orchestras of southeast Asia, for example, have an aesthetic preference for the "lively and full" sounds that come from instruments playing near, not on, the same pitch.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

Diagnosis levels aside, there has been a huge increase in awareness of the challenges neurodivergent people can face - whether it's in communication preferences, personal organisation, or sensory needs.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026

On July 30, the 15 members of the Security Council are due to hold their first closed-door, anonymous vote on their preferences among the candidates.

From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026

“I do not judge, but support all races, religions, sexual preferences and gender equity,” she wrote.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

No one has yet curated the perfect user base or algorithm to map people’s feeds exactly onto the preferences of the country, or even Maine primary voters.

From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2026

Even among herbivores and omnivores, many species, like koalas, are too finicky in their plant preferences to recommend themselves as farm animals.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

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