PREFER (preferred, preferring)
Dictionary entry overview: What does prefer mean?
• PREFER (verb)
The verb PREFER has 4 senses:
1. like better; value more highly
2. select as an alternative; choose instead; prefer as an alternative
3. promote over another
4. give preference to one creditor over another
Familiarity information: PREFER used as a verb is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
• PREFER (verb)
Meaning:
Like better; value more highly
Classified under:
Verbs of feeling
Context examples:
Some people prefer camping to staying in hotels / We prefer sleeping outside
Hypernyms (to "prefer" is one way to...):
like (find enjoyable or agreeable)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s something to somebody
Somebody ----s to somebody
Somebody ----s VERB-ing
Sentence example:
They prefer him to write the letter
Meaning:
Select as an alternative; choose instead; prefer as an alternative
Classified under:
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting
Synonyms:
opt; choose; prefer
Context examples:
I always choose the fish over the meat courses in this restaurant / She opted for the job on the East coast
"Prefer" entails doing...:
compare (examine and note the similarities or differences of)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "prefer"):
cop out; opt out (choose not to do something, as out of fear of failing)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Sentence example:
They prefer him to write the letter
Meaning:
Promote over another
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Synonyms:
favor; favour; prefer
Context example:
he favors his second daughter
Hypernyms (to "prefer" is one way to...):
advance; elevate; kick upstairs; promote; raise; upgrade (give a promotion to or assign to a higher position)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "prefer"):
advantage (give an advantage to)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Meaning:
Give preference to one creditor over another
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Hypernyms (to "prefer" is one way to...):
pay (give money, usually in exchange for goods or services)
Domain category:
jurisprudence; law (the collection of rules imposed by authority)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody
