PREFER Synonyms: 77 Similar and Opposite Words

prefer

verb

pri-ˈfər

Definition of prefer

as in to like

to show partiality toward I generally prefer chocolate ice cream over vanilla

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to choose

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of prefer Classic studs can become everyday staples, while distinctive settings or statement designs suit someone who prefers jewelry with more personality. — Ethan Stone october 9, Idaho Statesman, 9 Oct. 2026 Brands and manufacturers should note fully 75 percent of shoppers prefer apparel made of cotton, cotton blends or denim. — Catherine Salfino, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026 More than half of employees prefer to eat with others though only 36% of workers eat away from their desk every day of the work week. — Itzel Franco, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026 International outrage over the carnage in Gaza, meanwhile, has largely subsided, with many countries preferring a failing peace process to none at all. — Khaled Elgindy, Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prefer

Recent Examples of Synonyms for prefer

Verb

The leader of the breakfast and lunch chain, which brings in over $1 billion in annual revenue, likes to break bread with staffers rather than hide away in a corner office.

— Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
Overcast Milan was looking even grayer than I’d have liked, but I was heartened by a gracious welcome at the Park Hyatt, tucked away on a side street of the Piazza del Duomo.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of like

Verb

Starting with a silhouette and buckle, clients choose among materials including satin, leather, patent and suede, as well as colors and finishes.

— Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
The hotel has a total of 59 rooms and suites, residences, villas, and houses for guests to choose from, including a few options in the original farmhouse, or stancija.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of choose

Verb

Residents enjoy a Jack Nicklaus Signature 18-hole golf course, miles of hiking and biking trails, tennis and pickleball courts, and endless opportunities on Lake Keowee, including boating, swimming, or simply quiet moments on the water.

— Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 12 Oct. 2026
However, desperate to enjoy all the benefits of her unconventional and self-serving situation, without shouldering any of the blame, Uta proposes that Morio be the donor for Junna’s child, and that all three of them move in together.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of enjoy

Verb

Order a tasting menu and Paternollo will select one of each for you.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026
Earlier in August that year, the company was selected in the DOE’s Reactor Pilot Program designed to accelerate reactor demonstrations.

— Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of select

Verb

Expect greed, luck, obsession and the old adage that fortune really does favor the brave (and the strange, according to A+E).

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
Robert Coon, managing partner at Impact Management Group, a political consulting and public-opinion firm with an Arkansas office, said that welfare work requirement policy is generally favored in Arkansas.

— Laura Turbay, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of favor

Verb

The market has picked 12 fiction and documentary features, all in late-stage development, for its Tasveer Market Selects strand.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Also for those with kitchens, there is a Whole Foods and Safeway close by to pick-up groceries.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of pick

Verb

Stats show travel retail stores are being mined for discovery and unforgettable memories, with 86 percent of people wanting exclusive beauty offers in the channel, according to L’Oréal.

— Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026
In January, a section of Interstate 70 is scheduled to close for 11 months, and the Missouri Department of Transportation wants residents to be prepared.

— Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of want

Browse Nearby Words

prefatory

prefer

preferably

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Prefer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prefer. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of prefer

verb

Example Sentences

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