preferred

1 of 2

adjective

pre·​ferred pri-ˈfərd How to pronounce preferred (audio)
Synonyms of preferrednext
1
: liked better or best : used or wanted in preference to others
a preferred method
'Leveled' is the preferred spelling in American English.
2
: having special status or receiving special treatment or benefits
preferred customers

preferred

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of prefer

Synonyms of preferred

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Adjective

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Examples of preferred in a Sentence

Adjective my preferred means of communication is e-mail
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
Wall Street will also get several big economic updates next week, including the Fed’s preferred measure of inflation. — Damian J. Troise, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026 Cooley, meanwhile, hinted that even smiling or chatting with teammates can take him out of that preferred mindset. — Jesse Granger, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2026 My backyard tortoise, Philbert, has for some reason chosen my closet as his preferred brumation burrow. — Meghana Keshavan, STAT, 22 Oct. 2026 Second, Gerwig's preferred version of the story seems to purposefully remove the underlying meaning of it, of Lewis' work and the religious influence behind it. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for preferred

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1748, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of preferred was in 1748

Phrases Containing preferred

Rhymes for preferred

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Browse Nearby Words

preferment
preferred
preferred creditor
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Cite this Entry

“Preferred.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preferred. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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