preferential
of, relating to, or of the nature of preference: preferential policies.
showing or giving preference: a preferential hiring system.
receiving or enjoying preference, as a country in trade relations; favored.
Origin of preferential
1Other words from preferential
- pref·er·en·tial·ism, noun
- pref·er·en·tial·ist, noun
- pref·er·en·tial·ly, adverb
- non·pref·er·en·tial, adjective
- non·pref·er·en·tial·ly, adverb
- non·pref·er·en·tial·ism, noun
- qua·si-pref·er·en·tial, adjective
- qua·si-pref·er·en·tial·ly, adverb
Words Nearby preferential
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use preferential in a sentence
The division’s staffers are supposed to adhere to a strict ethics code and forgo any public partisan activities because such actions could imply preferential treatment for a candidate or party and jeopardize the commission’s credibility.
Inspector General Urges Ethics Review at Federal Election Commission Following ProPublica Report | by Jake Pearson | August 12, 2021 | ProPublicaIt offered legacy admissions in the form of preferential or priority status to descendants of the sold slaves and, in 2019, promised to raise $400,000 per year for their benefit.
Instead, it placed quotas on immigrants from the Western Hemisphere and instituted a preferential system that prioritized immigrants of the professional class and those with specialized skills.
There are complaints of preferential treatment of major arts groups — including Arena Stage, Studio Theatre and the National Building Museum — at the expense of smaller groups and organizations of color.
D.C. Mayor Bowser names new chairman of arts commission, which is facing accusations of cronyism and racism | Peggy McGlone | May 20, 2021 | Washington PostThey’ve extended that to say everyone who we work with that is like us will get preferential treatment.
Hall even made it clear that his problem is less with the preferential admissions, but with the lack of transparency.
The University of Texas’s Machiavellian War on Its Regent | David Davis | October 27, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTEither way, part of the tragedy and poignancy of polio is its preferential spread to babies and toddlers.
The preferential ballot will definitely favor Gravity, which I felt was a superior film anyway.
And the Best Picture Oscar Goes to… ‘12 Years A Slave,’ ‘Gravity,’ or ‘American Hustle?’ | Kevin Fallon, Marlow Stern | March 1, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST“Crony capitalism,” for example, typically refers to preferential relationships between politicians and business interests.
Jews enjoy preferential access to land ownership throughout most of the country.
In 1894 a second Conference was held at Ottawa, mainly to discuss intercolonial preferential trade.
The Canadian Dominion | Oscar D. SkeltonThe other Premiers agreed to consider whether Canada's preferential tariff policy could be followed.
The Canadian Dominion | Oscar D. SkeltonThis is the weak point in preferential Voting; any small section can ensure the rejection of a general favourite.
Proportional Representation Applied To Party Government | T. R. Ashworth and H. P. C. AshworthAs for the idea of the preferential Union shop, it had undoubtedly been gaining ground.
Making Both Ends Meet | Sue Ainslie Clark and Edith WyattThey almost mobbed the East Side leaders, with their voluble questioning about the preferential Union shop.
Making Both Ends Meet | Sue Ainslie Clark and Edith Wyatt
British Dictionary definitions for preferential
/ (ˌprɛfəˈrɛnʃəl) /
showing or resulting from preference
giving, receiving, or originating from preference in international trade
Derived forms of preferential
- preferentiality (ˌprɛfəˌrɛnʃɪˈælɪtɪ), noun
- preferentially, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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