as in rather
by choice or preference
I like football, but preferably watching from the stands rather than being down on the field
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of preferably
Remove from the oven and immediately place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight, for best results.
—
Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 6 June 2025
Turn several times, then cover and place in the refrigerator overnight, at least 12 hours and preferably 24.
—Georgeanne Brennan, Mercury News, 5 June 2025
Seek shelter promptly in a safe location, preferably indoors.
—Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 7 June 2025
Tickets cost around €6.60 one way (preferably cash, paid on board), and the journey takes about two hours each way.
—Erica Firpo, AFAR Media, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for preferably
Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 6 June 2025
Turn several times, then cover and place in the refrigerator overnight, at least 12 hours and preferably 24.
—Georgeanne Brennan, Mercury News, 5 June 2025
Seek shelter promptly in a safe location, preferably indoors.
—Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 7 June 2025
Tickets cost around €6.60 one way (preferably cash, paid on board), and the journey takes about two hours each way.
—Erica Firpo, AFAR Media, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for preferably
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preferably
rather
Adverb
-
From Technology Investment To Enterprise Asset Calculating ERP ROI should not be a one-time task post-deployment but rather an ongoing strategic initiative encompassing financial, operational and organizational results.—
Shiv Kaushik,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
-
Bayern Munich have a talent pathway that is also looking rather healthy this summer.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Preferably.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preferably. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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