1
as in liking
to show partiality toward
I generally prefer chocolate ice cream over vanilla
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of preferring
Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
Pochettino has moved Pulisic to the right wing at times, preferring to play Tim Weah on the left.
—Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Introducing formula can lead to decreased milk production, the baby preferring artificial nipples over the breast and stopping breastfeeding earlier than planned.
—Ann Kellams, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2025
Swift isn’t the only artist who has nixed singles, preferring to launch an album in one piece.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
Typically, Johnson shies away from bolder colors, preferring pastels, neutrals like black and brown, or metallics for her red-carpet appearances.
—Glamour, 26 Sep. 2025
For those preferring a zero-proof experience, a garden mocktail session ($25 per person) will teach participants how to make non-alcoholic drinks with homegrown ingredients, while a home barista masterclass ($25 per person) shares the fundamentals of brewing the best espresso at home.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Her marital strife was so out in the open that Offset released a song complaining about his superstar wife preferring Nobu to cooking.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
To complicate matters, Talese didn’t feel like writing about Sinatra, preferring non-celebrity subjects, while Sinatra, hampered by post-nasal drip, didn’t feel like talking to Talese.
—Mark Rozzo, Air Mail, 20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Due to her influence, Gein avoided going on dates with women, preferring to spend his time poring over anatomy books.
—Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 3 Oct. 2025
Pochettino has moved Pulisic to the right wing at times, preferring to play Tim Weah on the left.
—Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Introducing formula can lead to decreased milk production, the baby preferring artificial nipples over the breast and stopping breastfeeding earlier than planned.
—Ann Kellams, The Conversation, 2 Oct. 2025
Swift isn’t the only artist who has nixed singles, preferring to launch an album in one piece.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
Typically, Johnson shies away from bolder colors, preferring pastels, neutrals like black and brown, or metallics for her red-carpet appearances.
—Glamour, 26 Sep. 2025
For those preferring a zero-proof experience, a garden mocktail session ($25 per person) will teach participants how to make non-alcoholic drinks with homegrown ingredients, while a home barista masterclass ($25 per person) shares the fundamentals of brewing the best espresso at home.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Her marital strife was so out in the open that Offset released a song complaining about his superstar wife preferring Nobu to cooking.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
To complicate matters, Talese didn’t feel like writing about Sinatra, preferring non-celebrity subjects, while Sinatra, hampered by post-nasal drip, didn’t feel like talking to Talese.
—Mark Rozzo, Air Mail, 20 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preferring
Verb
-
And social director Kassidy Silva bashfully admitted to liking Tabi nails with the peeking-through-hands emoji.—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
24 Sep. 2025
-
No matter how meritless the lawsuit (for example, the Times suit boils down to simply not liking the coverage), several companies settled in order to curry favor.—
Matt Robison,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
So much so, eventually Hamblin ended up choosing the second and third pours of whiskey for us, instead of Gandano.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Birth parents frequently cite financial hardship as one of their primary reasons for choosing adoption.—
Nicole Chung,
The Atlantic,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
To be sure, there are some subtle signs the housing market could be shifting toward favoring buyers.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
7 Oct. 2025
-
King recalls a former client who, early in their career, signed a contract heavily favoring the record label, leaving the band with only a small fraction of the earnings.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
For people who live outside of high-risk flood zones, skipping flood insurance and selecting lower-cost add-ons, like sump pump coverage, is routine.—
Tamia Fowlkes,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Schloss Johannisberg further refined its approach to harvesting, introducing Auslese in 1787, which meant selecting grapes even later in the season, especially those affected by botrytis.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The epic-length adaptation of the seminal Mary Shelley novel premiered at Venice Film Festival before enjoying surprise screenings at Telluride Film Festival and another red carpet at the Toronto International Film Festival.—
J. Kim Murphy,
Variety,
1 Oct. 2025
-
In the photo, the twins could be seen enjoying vanilla ice cream cones at a carnival.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
On its own, the 5070 Ti sells for $800, so picking it up inside a capable gaming laptop with a good-looking screen and style for miles for just a little bit more than that is a massive bargain.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Here is who 60 national experts are picking to win the game.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Those wanting to stream the show live can do so with a Peacock premium subscription, or stream new episodes the next day with a basic Peacock subscription.—
Kaycee Sloan,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
3 Oct. 2025
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Given no choice, María Ángeles acquiesces to her daughter’s wishes and moves into the seniors’ home, where a hilarious exchange with a hairdresser wanting to chop off her long silver tresses typifies her iron-willed refusal to settle in.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Preferring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preferring. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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