preferably

adverb

pref·​er·​a·​bly ˈpre-f(ə-)rə-blē 

also pri-ˈfər-ə-blē

: by choice or preference

—used to indicate what is wanted or preferred

The work should be done soon, preferably by the end of the week.

Applicants should hold a college degree, preferably with teaching experience.

Water thoroughly during the coolest time of day (preferably early morning), then allow soil to dry completely … before watering again.

—Michael MacCaskey

Mound flour on a work surface (preferably wooden) and make a large well in center with your fingertips.

—Lynne Rossetto Kasper

Synonyms of preferably

• rather
• willingly

Examples of preferably in a Sentence

I like football, but preferably watching from the stands rather than being down on the field

Recent Examples on the Web

Researchers from University College London (UCL) found that at least a weekly dose of art—preferably of diverse forms and types—made people on average about a year younger, as suggested by changes to DNA and in terms of overall health, than those who rarely treated themselves to the creative arts. —Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 12 May 2026

But to make a business out of the largely free platform, videos need to get consistent clicks — preferably in the millions. —Alex Sherman,zach Vallese, CNBC, 10 May 2026

In Chile and other places where hantaviruses are more common, a standard recommendation for patients with respiratory symptoms is to swiftly transfer them to a health facility with high-level care, preferably one with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). —ArsTechnica, 8 May 2026

Seaside destinations call for cover-up dresses—preferably knit, preferably colorful—and flowy silhouettes that’ll take you from the beach club to the dinner reservation. —Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 8 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1700, in the meaning defined above