Preferences: meaning, definitions and examples

Use when talking about what someone likes or dislikes, often in a general or personal context.

• She has strong preferences when it comes to food.
• His music preferences vary from classical to rock.

Appropriate when discussing decisions or selections that can be made from a set of possibilities.

• He made some bad choices in his career.
• You have several choices for breakfast.

Suitable for referring to available possibilities or alternatives, often in a practical or strategic context.

• You have two options: continue working here or look for a new job.
• This software offers many options for customization.

Utilized in the context of configuring or adjusting configurations for devices, software, or environments.

• Please adjust the brightness settings on your phone.
• You can change your privacy settings in the app.

Use this word to describe what someone likes more in a general or consistent way, often in the context of choices or options.

• Her preferences in music are varied, but she loves classical the most
• My food preferences lean towards spicy dishes

This word is best used to describe someone's personal likes and dislikes, particularly in areas like food, art, and fashion.

• She has eclectic tastes in music, enjoying everything from jazz to hip hop
• His tastes in fashion are always on trend

This word describes strong wants or wishes, often emotional or deep-seated, and sometimes could be viewed negatively if the desire is inappropriate.

• He has a strong desire to travel the world
• She expressed her desire for a more fulfilling career

Use this word for tendencies or natural leanings towards something, usually based on someone’s character or habits.

• Her inclinations towards art were evident from a young age
• Despite his inclinations to resist, he decided to go along with the plan

Typically used when referring to a person's individual choices or tastes in a variety of situations, such as in apps, services, or daily life.

• She adjusted her preferences to receive fewer email notifications.
• My coffee preferences include lots of milk and no sugar.

Generally used in the context of controls or adjustments that one can make on a device, application, or system to modify its operation or appearance.

• He checked the sound settings on his phone to make sure it was on silent.
• The default settings worked perfectly for her.

Used more frequently in technical contexts, especially with hardware and software, to describe the specific setup or arrangement of systems and components.

• The network configurations need to be updated for the new server.
• He spent hours completing the software configurations for his project.

Often used to refer to different choices or alternatives available in a given situation. Can be used in both technical and everyday contexts.

• She reviewed all the options before making a decision.
• The software provides several options for customization.