How to Use preferably in a Sentence

preferably

adverb
  • Read on or sign up here (preferably both).
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Chill at least 1 hour or, preferably, overnight.
    — Staff Author, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Sep. 2025
  • Choose healthy plants, preferably ones with round leaves, such as jade plants.
    — Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 June 2026
  • Choose healthy plants, preferably ones with round leaves, such as jade plants.
    — Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Wait for a cloudy day, preferably before rain.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2025
  • That’s your hotel pool, preferably one with ocean views.
    — Terry Ward, AFAR Media, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Practice a lot, preferably in the woods.
    — Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Stir until chilled and strain over ice in a rocks glass, preferably a large cube.
    — Emily Price, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024
  • Heat a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, and add about ½ inch of oil.
    — Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Dec. 2022
  • There’s always risk, but (preferably) less risk, of him to come out there.
    — Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Jan. 2026
  • Tune in over the coming days for the best of the steals—preferably with a pie in the oven.
    — Grace Smith, Southern Living, 29 June 2023
  • Chill disks at least 2 hours (but preferably go at least 12 hours).
    — Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
    — Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Just be sure to add the perfect pop of bright colors, preferably pink.
    — Jasmine Washington, Seventeen, 8 June 2023
  • Tuck it beneath your arm, preferably alongside a trench coat.
    — Laura Lajiness Kaupke, Vogue, 29 Mar. 2022
  • A little splash of any kind of milk, preferably a house made nut milk but those are hard to come by.
    — Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Seguin liked to work the ball inside, preferably, but looking for the best shot.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Feb. 2025
  • And do a more thorough cleaning twice a year, preferably once in the fall and once in the spring.
    — Emma Bazilian, House Beautiful, 15 June 2023
  • Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.
    — Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2025
  • Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.
    — Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.
    — Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026
  • Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.
    — Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.
    — Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.
    — Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2026
  • Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.
    — Southern California Weather Report, Daily News, 4 May 2026
  • Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.
    — Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.
    — Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 25 Sep. 2025
  • Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.
    — Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.
    — Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.
    — Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'preferably.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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