preferred; preferring
1
: to promote or advance to a rank or position
2
: to like better or best
prefers sports to reading
prefers to watch TV
3
: to give (a creditor) priority
4
archaic
: to put or set forward or before someone : recommend
5
: to bring or lay against someone
won't prefer charges
6
: to bring forward or lay before one for consideration
preferrer
noun
Examples of prefer in a Sentence
Some people like vanilla ice cream, but I prefer chocolate.
She tends to prefer small college campuses.
I prefer this dictionary because of its helpful examples.
Which one is the preferred alternative?
What is the preferred pronunciation of her name?
Recent Examples on the Web
Those with dry skin might prefer this glowy formula, as it's spiked with moisturizing ingredients such as shea butter and porcelain flower.
—
Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 12 July 2025
Ultimately, the Phillies would prefer none of their pitchers throw in the All-Star Game.
—Matt Gelb, New York Times, 12 July 2025
Reasons for younger generations preferring an animal family ranged from believing that pets are easier to take care of than children (43 percent) to the idea that raising a pet gives them more fulfillment than raising a child (22 percent).
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
An American Farmland Trust survey found that Colorado farmers would prefer that utility-scale solar projects be sited on less productive or underutilized farmland rather than on highly productive or actively farmed land.
—Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for prefer
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show current usage.
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Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 12 July 2025
Ultimately, the Phillies would prefer none of their pitchers throw in the All-Star Game.
—Matt Gelb, New York Times, 12 July 2025
Reasons for younger generations preferring an animal family ranged from believing that pets are easier to take care of than children (43 percent) to the idea that raising a pet gives them more fulfillment than raising a child (22 percent).
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
An American Farmland Trust survey found that Colorado farmers would prefer that utility-scale solar projects be sited on less productive or underutilized farmland rather than on highly productive or actively farmed land.
—Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for prefer
Cite this Entry
“Prefer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prefer. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prefer
verb
pre·fer
pri-ˈfər 
preferred; preferring
1
: to choose or like better than another
prefer dark clothes
2
: to present for action or consideration
prefer charges against a thief
Legal Definition
prefer
transitive verb
pre·fer
pri-ˈfər
preferred; preferring
1
: to give (a creditor or debt) priority or preference
any preferred charges such as child support or alimony—In re Smiley, 427 P.2d 179 (1967)
In re Smiley, 427 P.2d 179 (1967)2
: to bring forward for determination
especially
: to bring (a charge) against someone
the various means by which a grand jury might prefer charges —State v. Byrd, 399 S.E.2d 267 (1990)
State v. Byrd, 399 S.E.2d 267 (1990) Love words? Need even more definitions?
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