preferential

adjective

pref·er·en·tial | \ˌpre-fə-ˈren(t)-shəl

Definition of preferential

1 : showing preference

2 : employing or creating a preference in trade relations

3 : designed to permit expression of preference among candidates a preferential primary

4 : giving preference especially in hiring to union members a preferential shop

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Examples of preferential in a Sentence

powerful people who demand preferential treatment from politicians

Recent Examples on the Web

He was accused of making millions of dollars on a central bank loan obtained at a preferential exchange rate and then moving it through his money exchange business before buying farm equipment in the U.S. The case was dropped. — Washington Post, "Paraguay president withdraws resignation and Senate bid," 26 June 2018 He was accused of making millions of dollars on a central bank loan obtained at a preferential exchange rate and then moving it through his money exchange business before buying farm equipment in the U.S. The case was dropped. — Pedro Servin, The Seattle Times, "Paraguay president withdraws resignation and Senate bid," 26 June 2018 Her new lifestyle had been made possible by subsidized loans and preferential exchange rates. — Anatoly Kurmanaev, WSJ, "The Tragedy of Venezuela," 24 May 2018 Parents with undesirable traits might be coerced by laws—or, more likely, preferential insurance rates—to use the technologies. — Jason Pontin, WIRED, "Science Is Getting Us Closer to the End of Infertility," 27 Mar. 2018 What Home Depot doesn't say is that those earnings will receive a preferential tax rate of 15.5% maximum. — Michael Hiltzik, latimes.com, "Home Depot's bonuses underscore what workers get out of the corporate tax cut: Peanuts," 30 Jan. 2018 Trump has accused Amazon of benefiting from preferential USPS rates, and last month created a task force to review USPS business practices. — David Z. Morris, Fortune, "With Trump Feud Still Simmering, Postal Service Announces Huge Growth in Package Delivery – and Widening Losses," 12 May 2018 The drivers contend that airport officials are giving ride-sharing companies such at Uber and Lyft preferential treatment at the airport. — Lori Aratani, Washington Post, "Taxicab drivers disrupt D.C. airport board meeting to protest treatment," 21 June 2018 But that effort unraveled after a 1989 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that prevented cities from giving preferential treatment to a minority group. — Katrease Stafford, Detroit Free Press, "Detroit's demolition program under fire for lack of diversity," 16 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'preferential.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.