1
as in likes
to show partiality toward
I generally prefer chocolate ice cream over vanilla
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in chooses
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
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Recent Examples of prefers
Cher in Clueless was all about the big, bright, bold colors—but sometimes, Alicia Silverstone prefers a more muted sartorial moment.
—
Meg Walters, InStyle, 12 Jan. 2026
Today, Staub prefers hardwood, limestone, terracotta, or stone tile in softer, organic tones.
—Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 11 Jan. 2026
Furthermore, Los Angeles prefers to play with five or more defensive backs, doing so on more than 80% of their snaps.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
Bellarmine played a significant amount of zone defense, especially in the first half -- partially due to its limited roster but also as a challenge to UCA, who prefers to take three-point shots.
—Arkansas Online, 9 Jan. 2026
The latest survey also shows that nearly half the country prefers Washington to stay out of the affairs of other countries.
—Nick Spicer, NPR, 9 Jan. 2026
As on of Hollywood’s leading ladies, Jennifer Lawrence prefers not to know her leading men before filming.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 9 Jan. 2026
Alex is a small-town Ohio teacher who prefers a good book.
—Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 9 Jan. 2026
His relationship with Zack Wheeler is particularly important; Wheeler prefers throwing to Realmuto above all else.
—Matt Gelb, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prefers
Verb
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The Jets under Engstrand focus on a physical, aggressive style that likes quarterbacks to use a blend of RPOs, zone reads and play-action passes.—
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The fun and flattering style works for all ages, and Manzone likes twisting hair back into a claw clip to keep things super youthful.—
Verb
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In this world, inflation isn’t a bug, but a feature of how the Fed chooses to balance the crisis.—
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Directors chooses three candidates from their district to create the 21-member cohort, who will learn about the local water system and the agency’s projects through webinars and tours of water infrastructure.—
Verb
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Ball enjoys every second of their interactions, too.—
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Rose also enjoys playing with dolls, carefully giving each one its own name and unique personality.—
Verb
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His firm often selects stone floors for beach houses or lake houses, where water, sand and dirt are likely to be tracked through the space.—
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In an attempt to remedy that, the TIME photo department every year selects the ten images that made us, first, pause…then dig a little deeper into what went into bringing that image to your eyes.—
Verb
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Collectively, there is less tolerance for stubbornness disguised as conviction, as this transit favors multidimensional thinking and open dialogue.—
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This mindset naturally favors destinations with a strong culinary identity.—
Verb
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The robot picks unsorted bearing rings and places them onto a buffer table.—
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Our top picks start at $16, with some even on sale, too.—
Verb
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Though designers will still prioritize efficiency, the triangle might not always be the default layout to achieve what a homeowner wants.—
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Transgender athlete wants to drop her challenge Lindsay Hecox, a transgender student at Boise State University who convinced lower courts to temporarily block enforcement of Idaho’s ban, now wants to abandon her case.—
Cite this Entry
“Prefers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prefers. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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