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Prefer: meaning, definitions and examples

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prefer

 

[ prɪˈfəː ]

Verb
Oxford 3000
Context #1 | Verb

in making a choice

Like many people, she prefers to sleep in on weekends. She prefers tea to coffee. He prefers action movies to romantic comedies.

Synonyms

choose, favor, opt for, select

Examples of usage

  • I prefer the blue one over the red one.
  • She prefers to work alone rather than in a team.
  • Do you prefer cats or dogs as pets?
Context #2 | Verb

in liking or enjoying something more than something else

I prefer Italian food over Chinese food. She prefers reading books to watching TV. He prefers winter sports to summer sports.

Synonyms

enjoy more, favor, favour, like better

Examples of usage

  • I prefer to listen to music rather than watch TV.
  • She prefers to travel by train rather than by bus.
  • Do you prefer sweet or savory foods?
Context #3 | Verb

in giving priority or precedence to one thing over another

The company prefers to hire candidates with experience. He prefers to deal with issues in person rather than over the phone. She prefers quality over quantity.

Synonyms

choose, favor, give precedence to, prioritize

Examples of usage

  • I prefer to finish this project before starting a new one.
  • She prefers to address customer complaints immediately.
  • Do you prefer to pay by cash or credit card?

Translations

Translations of the word "prefer" in other languages:

🇵🇹 preferir

🇮🇳 पसंद करना

🇩🇪 vorziehen

🇮🇩 lebih suka

🇺🇦 надавати перевагу

🇵🇱 woleć

🇯🇵 好む (このむ)

🇫🇷 préférer

🇪🇸 preferir

🇹🇷 tercih etmek

🇰🇷 선호하다 (선호하다)

🇸🇦 يفضل

🇨🇿 preferovat

🇸🇰 preferovať

🇨🇳 更喜欢 (gèng xǐhuān)

🇸🇮 raje imeti

🇮🇸 kjósa frekar

🇰🇿 қалағанды жөн көру

🇬🇪 უპირატესობის მინიჭება

🇦🇿 üstünlük vermək

🇲🇽 preferir

Etymology

The word 'prefer' comes from the Latin word 'praeferre', which means 'to carry in front, to bring forward'. The concept of preference has been a part of human decision-making for centuries, as people have always had choices and the ability to select one option over another based on their likes, priorities, or beliefs.

See also: preferably, preference, preferences, preferred, preferring.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #3,389, this word is part of upper-intermediate vocabulary. While not among the most basic terms, it appears often enough to be valuable for advanced communication.