prefer

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/prɪˈfɜːr/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/prɪˈfɝ/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(pri fûr)

Inflections of 'prefer' (v): (⇒ conjugate)
prefers
v 3rd person singular
preferring
v pres p
preferred
v past
preferred
v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
pre•fer /prɪˈfɜr/USA pronunciation   v. [not: be + ~-ing], -ferred, -fer•ring. 
  1. to set or hold before or above other persons or things: [+ object]She prefers cheese, if you have some.[+ verb-ing]She prefers running to walking.[+ object + to + object]I prefer school to work.[+ to + verb]She prefers to take a nap after a big meal.[+ that clause]He preferred that we meet him outside his apartment.[no object]I'll come with you or, if you prefer, I'll wait outside.
Idioms
  1. Idioms, Law prefer charges, to make or place an accusation of wrongdoing, a crime, etc., against another.

See -fer-.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
pre•fer  (pri fûr),USA pronunciation v.t., -ferred, -fer•ring. 
  1. to set or hold before or above other persons or things in estimation; like better;
    choose rather than:to prefer beef to chicken.
  2. Lawto give priority, as to one creditor over another.
  3. to put forward or present (a statement, suit, charge, etc.) for consideration or sanction.
  4. to put forward or advance, as in rank or office;
    promote:to be preferred for advancement.
  • Latin praeferre to bear before, set before, prefer, equivalent. to prae- pre- + ferre to bear1
  • Middle English preferre 1350–1400
pre•fer•red•ly  (pri fûrid lē, -fûrdlē),USA pronunciation adv.  pre•ferred•ness, n. 
pre•ferrer, n. 
    • 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged favor, fancy. See choose. 
    • 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged offer, proffer, tender.
    • 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged reject.
    • 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged retract.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
prefer / prɪˈfɜː/ ( -fers, -ferring, -ferred)
  1. (when tr, may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to like better or value more highly: I prefer to stand
  2. (esp of the police) to put (charges) before a court, judge, magistrate, etc, for consideration and judgment
  3. (tr; often passive) to advance in rank over another or others; promote
Etymology: 14th Century: from Latin praeferre to carry in front, prefer, from prae in front + ferre to bearUSAGE
Normally, to is used after prefer and preferable, not than: I prefer Brahms to Tchaikovsky; a small income is preferable to no income at all. However, than or rather than should be used to link infinitives: I prefer to walk than/rather than to catch the train
'prefer' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: prefer [football] to [baseball], prefer [red] over [blue], prefer [this one] or [that], more...

Forum discussions with the word(s) "prefer" in the title:


Look up "prefer" at Merriam-Webster
Look up "prefer" at dictionary.com
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