as in selected
singled out from a number or group as more to one's liking
my preferred means of communication is e-mail
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in liked
to show partiality toward
I generally prefer chocolate ice cream over vanilla
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in chose
to decide to accept (someone or something) from a group of possibilities
most buyers of that vehicle have preferred the model with four-wheel drive
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of preferred
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 5 Apr. 2026
Sleeping positions and firmness Beyond mattress type, your preferred sleep position and mattress firmness (how hard or soft a bed feels) are other important factors to consider when buying a mattress.
—Sharon Brandwein, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2026
Election officials preferred that solution.
—ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for preferred
Adjective
Radishes are a preferred host for flea beetles.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 5 Apr. 2026
Sleeping positions and firmness Beyond mattress type, your preferred sleep position and mattress firmness (how hard or soft a bed feels) are other important factors to consider when buying a mattress.
—Sharon Brandwein, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
Verb
Pavlovas are a popular dessert in spring and summer when the light, airy, cloud-like texture of the baked meringue dessert is preferred over the heavier, sturdier cakes of fall and winter.
—Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2026
Election officials preferred that solution.
—ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for preferred
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preferred
Adjective
-
The selected artist will be notified by early October.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Mar. 2026
-
The gist, however, seems to be that extra-terrestrials make contact with a selected few, before promising to go public to the entire world — good luck dealing with the ramifications of that one, human race!—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Lund tends to be pretty well-liked around the sport for his pro-style game.—
Scott Wheeler,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
That's why all those strangers liked me so much.—
Shafiq Najib,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Each ticket costs $5, and players may pick six numbers from two separate pools of numbers — five different numbers from 1 to 70 (the white balls) and one number from 1 to 24 (the gold Mega Ball) — or select Easy Pick/Quick Pick.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
In past labor actions, the district has continued providing meals at select sites.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Researchers studied her cells by cultivating them in a laboratory and saw indications of a selective advantage, with healthy skin cells favored over diseased ones.—
Jerome Groopman,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Here are three stocks favored by some of Wall Street’s top pros, according to TipRanks, a platform that ranks analysts based on their past performance.—
TipRanks.com Staff,
CNBC,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Homeowners across Central Florida have been frustrated to find their piles of dead leaves, branches and plants — victims of February’s hard freeze — still sitting on their curbs because waste haulers haven’t picked it up on time.—
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Apr. 2026
-
For every scene, participants picked one robot from a lineup of six that differed only in color—there were four skin tones ranging from light to dark, plus a silver and a teal option meant as nonracial baselines.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
As investigators searched the area with the bamboo again, Horner smoked cigarettes and seemed relaxed, making small talk about his favorite foods, work schedules and the weather.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
-
For now, at least, there is no clear early favorite.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
From his Palm Beach and New York mansions and his luxurious apartment in Paris, Epstein enjoyed a remarkable level of access to sensitive information like the outcomes of political meetings and the itineraries of Gulf royals.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
-
When weather permits, meals can be enjoyed under the pergola in the garden.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But his chosen career path ended his life — and nearly killed his heartbroken father, who suffered a stroke upon hearing the news that his son had been gunned down.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
29 July 2025
-
Costello’s donates products to community raffles and fundraisers, allowing chosen charities to select any item in the store worth up to $100 for their events.—
Mike Klingaman,
Baltimore Sun,
17 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Preferred.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preferred. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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