preferential
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or of the nature of preference.
preferential policies.
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showing or giving preference.
a preferential hiring system.
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receiving or enjoying preference, as a country in trade relations; favored.
adjective
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showing or resulting from preference
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giving, receiving, or originating from preference in international trade
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of preferential
1840–50; < Medieval Latin praeferenti ( a ) preference + -al 1
Explanation
Something that's preferential gives one person or group a big advantage over others. If your soccer coach never makes you sit on the bench and always hands you the first Gatorade, she gives you preferential treatment. Giving preferential treatment or having a preferential attitude shows that you are partial to one person or group of people. And if you act in a preferential way, it gives the person you prefer an advantage over everyone else. Preferential treatment could include giving one party guest the first pick of party favors, or a state government giving one school district more money than other schools.
Vocabulary lists containing preferential
Unequal: A Story of America
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Novel Study: Long Walk to Freedom, Parts Eight–Eleven
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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.
The incident has drawn widespread public attention and renewed scrutiny of Indonesia's prisons, which have long faced allegations that wealthy or well-connected inmates can obtain preferential treatment through bribery.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
The WTO said that while some developing economies should still receive preferential treatment, others are now “globally competitive economies with significant market power.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
Davis was also instrumental in doubling the Oscars’ best picture category from five nominees to 10 in 2009, establishing the preferential ballot system that determines the academy’s top prize.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
This battle over cheese does not pass the smell test for Busch, who argues the U.S. also gives preferential treatment to countries it establishes trade deals with—including Canada.
From Slate ● Aug. 27, 2026
“But didn’t we always say that people who go into policy make a preferential option for their own ideas?”
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
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.
