What does "prefer" mean?
To be in the habit of choosing something rather than something else; to favor; to like better.
Prefer
/[pɹɪˈfɝ]/ verb
verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To be in the habit of choosing something rather than something else; to favor; to like better.
- Grammar: prefer is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: choose, favor, acquires, address.
- Useful contrasts: undesiring, unwished, avoid.
- Usage evidence: I prefer to look for a solution to problems, not only to report them.
How to use "prefer"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "prefer" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "prefer" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "prefer" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "prefer" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "prefer" is acting as verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "choose" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "prefer", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To be in the habit of choosing something rather than something else; to favor; to like better. transitive
"I prefer tea to coffee."
- 2 select as an alternative over another wordnet
- 3 To advance, promote (someone or something). dated, transitive
"So ſhall you haue a ſhorter iourney to your deſires, by the meanes I ſhall then haue to preferre them. And the impediment moſt profitably remoued, without the which there were no expectation of our proſperitie."
- 4 like better; value more highly wordnet
- 5 To present or submit (something) to an authority (now usually in "to prefer charges"). transitive
"[…], let him go, And preſently preferre his ſuite to Cæſar."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 promote over another wordnet
- 7 To put forward for acceptance; to introduce, recommend (to). obsolete, transitive
"one Master David Hume, who making some use of his purse, gave him Letters to his friends in Scotland to preferre him to King Iames."
- 8 give preference to one creditor over another wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"I prefer to look for a solution to problems, not only to report them."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "prefer"?
Common synonyms include: choose, favor, acquires, address, advance, aggrandize.
How do you use "prefer" in a sentence?
I prefer to look for a solution to problems, not only to report them.
How do you pronounce "prefer"?
Pronounced /[pɹɪˈfɝ]/.
Etymology
From Middle English preferren, from Anglo-Norman preferer, from Latin praeferō. Displaced native Old English foresettan and foreberan. Doublet of prelate. See also infer, relate and refer, delate and defer, as well as collate and confer among others.