Synonyms of preferring

preferring 1 of 2

adjective

as in choosing

Related Words

• choosing
• prone
• tending
• apt
• inclined
• minded
• willing
• liable
• disposed
• likely
• given
• predisposed

Dissimilar Words

• unwilling
• loath
• averse
• indisposed
• disinclined

preferring

2 of 2

verb

present participle of prefer

1

as in liking

to show partiality toward

I generally prefer chocolate ice cream over vanilla

Synonyms & Similar Words

• liking
• favoring
• enjoying
• choosing
• wanting
• picking
• leaning (toward or towards)
• going in for
• desiring
• relishing
• caring (for)
• selecting
• fancying
• appreciating
• adoring
• being partial to
• digging
• taking
• admiring
• naming
• culling
• craving
• coveting
• grooving (on)
• delighting (in)
• reveling (in)
• wishing (for)
• prejudicing
• valuing
• handpicking
• singling (out)
• biasing
• tending (to)
• hankering (for or after)
• cherishing
• cottoning (to)
• treasuring
• inclining (toward)
• prizing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• disliking
• refusing
• hating
• disfavoring
• abhorring
• rejecting
• detesting
• declining
• loathing
• discarding
• turning down
• misliking
• jettisoning
• abominating
• throwing away
• throwing out

2

as in selecting

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

• choosing
• selecting
• picking
• taking
• electing
• naming
• designating
• culling
• tagging
• opting (for)
• handpicking
• cherry-picking
• singling (out)
• adopting
• accepting
• nominating
• embracing
• appointing
• tapping
• marking
• preselecting
• setting
• espousing
• fixing
• tabbing
• settling (on or upon)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• refusing
• rejecting
• declining
• turning down
• disapproving
• repudiating
• discarding
• spurning
• throwing away
• throwing out
• negativing
• jettisoning

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of preferring

Verb

This dependency significantly reduces a business's value, as potential buyers view it as a major risk, preferring repeatable commercial systems over individual heroics. — Melissa Houston, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Tomatoes have similar growing needs to jalapeños, preferring warm temperatures and rich soil. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 28 July 2026

Sources told Hoops Wire that James’s camp reached out to the Knicks during free agency, but New York wasn’t interested in pursuing him, preferring to keep the roster that had just won a championship intact. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 27 July 2026

Aiyuk began veering away from the team’s rehabilitation protocol soon after the surgery, failing to communicate with the team — a recurrent theme between Aiyuk and the 49ers — and preferring to rehabilitate on his own. — Matt Barrows, New York Times, 27 July 2026

Apple has outperformed the market as investors have rewarded its reluctance to spend heavily on capital expenditures for AI, preferring to rent capacity instead of building its own. — Kif Leswing, CNBC, 27 July 2026

At William Fèvre, Séguier does not employ any new oak at all, preferring to source barrels from the Côte d’Or after they have already been used for one, two, or three vintages. — Mike Desimone, Robb Report, 26 July 2026

Senate Majority Leader John Thune has been noncommittal on the House package that also divides his own GOP majority, with some Republican senators preferring more money for the military and others demanding the costs be offset with cuts elsewhere. — ABC News, 22 July 2026

La Roja is a far more patient team, preferring to keep possession and pass their opponent to death, waiting for any momentary lapse of concentration. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 19 July 2026