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
Roll your shoulders, tilt your head, or twist your torso, preferably from your ergonomic chair!
—
William Arruda, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
Visible to the naked eye, your viewing experience depends on the weather, so be sure to head to a dark spot far from the city (preferably facing north) to watch.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 29 May 2025
Boats are only allowed beyond those points, preferably to watch from the ocean, by taking a vessel out to nearby Zach’s Bay.
—Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 23 May 2025
Scarpa recommends picking a heat pump with the highest seasonal energy efficiency rating, preferably above 15.
—Khanh T.l. Tran, USA Today, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for preferably
William Arruda, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
Visible to the naked eye, your viewing experience depends on the weather, so be sure to head to a dark spot far from the city (preferably facing north) to watch.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 29 May 2025
Boats are only allowed beyond those points, preferably to watch from the ocean, by taking a vessel out to nearby Zach’s Bay.
—Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 23 May 2025
Scarpa recommends picking a heat pump with the highest seasonal energy efficiency rating, preferably above 15.
—Khanh T.l. Tran, USA Today, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for preferably
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preferably
rather
Adverb
-
Adam wasn't killed by Ethan or Gentry goons, but rather Nicky.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
6 June 2025
-
This is not due to aging itself, but rather to older adults being more likely to take medications that dry their mouths or have conditions that can cause dry mouth, such as dehydration, like diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease.3 2.—
Lana Barhum,
Verywell Health,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Preferably.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preferably. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
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