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
News Desk, Artforum, 8 Mar. 2026
Jackson usually parks closer to center field, but his preferred parking spot was taken before school began in the morning.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2026
Sherri Gordon, Health, 9 Mar. 2026
Though catfish is preferred, feel free to use tilapia, flounder, trout or any thin fillet of white fish for the recipe.
—Restaurant Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for preferred
Adjective
Representing a departure from the artist’s preferred medium of wood, the monument curves outward from a narrow base, its vertical form and vaguely human contours seeming to emanate light, notwithstanding the material’s heft.
—News Desk, Artforum, 8 Mar. 2026
Jackson usually parks closer to center field, but his preferred parking spot was taken before school began in the morning.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
They’re preferred over flaxseed oil, which lacks fiber and lignans, and are typically recommended over the whole seeds—the tough outer shell is hard to digest and makes the nutrients less accessible to your body.
—Sherri Gordon, Health, 9 Mar. 2026
Though catfish is preferred, feel free to use tilapia, flounder, trout or any thin fillet of white fish for the recipe.
—Restaurant Critic, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for preferred
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preferred
Adjective
-
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
-
The selected cohort—Diamond Batiste, Ciara Boniface, Jeremy Hsing, Alejandra López and Brittany Alexia Young—were chosen from nearly 1,000 submissions, placing them at the forefront of a new chapter in cinematic storytelling.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In my industry, people are sometimes very concerned about female characters not being liked by audiences, even though it’s been proven over and over that audiences really respond to real women.—
Outside,
Outside,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Continue reading … MEDIA TURNING A BLIND EYE — Mamdani's wife liked posts celebrating Oct 7 terror attacks but gets soft treatment from the press.—
,
FOXNews.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Doctors had little to offer Reid beyond steroids, which reduce inflammation but can cause bone fractures and diabetes, and a select few immunosuppressant drugs, which expose patients to infections and often fail to halt the disease’s progression.—
Jason Liebowitz,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The film was released theatrically by indie distributor Rich Spirit through boutique screenings in select cities.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Asian voters, who have been slightly moving toward the GOP since 2020, favored former Vice President Kamala Harris over Trump in 2024, 57% to 40%, according to the Pew Research Center.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Mar. 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,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Pirates were picked to finish last in the preseason coaches’ poll.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2026
-
And said controversy began the very moment that the Dolphins picked Tagovailoa.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Here are 28 of our favorite spring movies and where to stream them!—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
12 Mar. 2026
-
My favorite story to illustrate how Ross moves is the time I was told to ask Ross about his recent purchase of Fort Lauderdale’s iconic W Hotel on the first date of training camp in 2014.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
For most of his time in office, American citizens have enjoyed affordable gas prices, especially compared to the average fuel costs during the Biden administration.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Mar. 2026
-
My family enjoyed a daring dip in the outdoor pool before heating up in the sauna at Allas Pool, a seaside bathing center in the heart of the city.—
Allison Tibaldi,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 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 Mar. 2026.
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