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 The same report cites a shopper who ran a blind taste test of Aldi’s L’oven bagels against Thomas’ bagels and preferred the Aldi version. — Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 23 Oct. 2026 Aldi’s Benton’s Original Chocolate Sandwich Creme Cookies have become a frequent Oreo comparison, and a Simply Recipes blind taste test found noticeable differences between the two, with the reviewer ultimately preferring Oreos. — Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026 The president’s approval rating is at another record low, and Americans who are likely to vote prefer Democrats, surveys show. — Praveena Somasundaram, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026 Mirin is often described as sweet with subtle umami, but Sonoko Sakai, author of Japanese Home Cooking, prefers the term koku. — Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prefer

Recent Examples of Synonyms for prefer

Verb

On the other side is Gadi Eisenkot, a centrist former military chief who is temperate and broadly liked but lacks the political instincts to become a clear favorite.

— Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2026
The Cougars stuffed all the ways Utah likes to run the ball until Dampier took matters into his own hands and posted a season high in rushing in electrifying style.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of like

Verb

Mississippians have not chosen a new Democratic senator since 1947, and Democrats last won a Senate race there when that senator, the onetime segregationist John Stennis, won his last reelection in 1982.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
Swift’s fans were disappointed by the outcome of the game and how the Seahawks chose to celebrate on social media.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of choose

Verb

Just a day earlier, he’d been spotted enjoying a pre-birthday dinner at Mamo in Manhattan, wrapped in a chestnut-brown fringed shawl that wouldn’t have looked out of place in Sienna Miller’s fall wardrobe.

— Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2026
The Dolphins had run 293 offensive snaps and not enjoyed an advantage at any point in any of them.

— Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of enjoy

Verb

If admiration and support for female athletes drive support for prohibiting transgender women from participating in women’s sports, then those who favor Title IX should also favor bans.

— Jesse Rhodes, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2026
Three-quarters of that is for races that are either toss-ups or some degree of Republican-favored, according to the Cook Political Report.

— Stephen Fowler, NPR, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of favor

Verb

Others in the sales organization picked it up within twenty-four hours of him sharing it in Slack.

— Stephen Messer, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
Instead, studios seem to be picking works that come with a hungry audience attached but can still exist independent of their roots.

— Emily Maskell, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of pick

Verb

Japanese flight controllers want to avoid powdery soil and rough terrain when the mothership, a four-legged stationary lander, descends to the surface to gather samples in late 2028 or 2029.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026
Florida Poly now wants to investigate what a piloted electric aircraft can offer.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of want

Browse Nearby Words

prefatory

prefer

preferably

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Prefer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prefer. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of prefer

verb

Example Sentences

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