Synonyms of prefer

prefer

verb

pri-ˈfər 

1

as in to like

to show partiality toward

I generally prefer chocolate ice cream over vanilla

Synonyms & Similar Words

• like
• enjoy
• choose
• favor
• want
• pick
• care (for)
• go in for
• lean (toward or towards)
• select
• appreciate
• relish
• adore
• desire
• fancy
• crave
• dig
• cotton (to)
• admire
• wish (for)
• take
• delight (in)
• be partial to
• tend (to)
• bias
• name
• single (out)
• covet
• revel (in)
• handpick
• prejudice
• cull
• cherish
• groove (on)
• incline (toward)
• value
• treasure
• prize
• hanker (for or after)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dislike
• hate
• loathe
• refuse
• detest
• abhor
• reject
• decline
• mislike
• turn down
• discard
• disfavor
• abominate
• jettison
• throw away
• throw out

2

as in to choose

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

• choose
• select
• pick
• take
• elect
• name
• designate
• opt (for)
• tag
• single (out)
• cull
• handpick
• cherry-pick
• nominate
• accept
• adopt
• appoint
• embrace
• tap
• preselect
• tab
• mark
• set
• espouse
• settle (on or upon)
• fix

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• refuse
• reject
• decline
• turn down
• disapprove
• negative
• repudiate
• discard
• spurn
• throw away
• throw out
• jettison

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of prefer

The amount of uncertainty facing employers is huge, and most prefer to wait and see what happens before hiring more workers or laying them off in large numbers. —Harry Holzer, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025

Instead of China’s current licensing regime, the EU trade chief said the bloc prefers a systematic solution, such as a general application once a year for each company, to avoid paperwork delays and stress applied to the industry. —John Liu, CNN Money, 5 June 2025

Reps the Royals would have preferred to give him at Triple-A Omaha before his neon numbers at the plate and their puny offensive production converged to accelerate the call-up. —Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 5 June 2025

Ever thoughtful about nesting, the herons prefer to do so on the branches of six tree species of the 43 kinds scattered around the outdoor exhibits: red maple, sugar maple, river birch, white mulberry, American hornbeam and common hackberry. —Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2025