Synonyms for prefer
prɪˈfɜrpre·fer

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:4.3 / 3 votes

1. prefer

   Prefer indicates a state of desire and approval; choose, an act of will. Prudence or generosity may lead one to choose what he does not prefer. Select implies a careful consideration of the reasons for preference and choice. Among objects so nearly alike that we have no reason to prefer any one to another we may simply choose the nearest, but we could not be said to select it. Aside from theology, elect is popularly confined to the political sense; as, a free people elect their own rulers. Cull, from the Latin colligere, commonly means to collect, as well as to select. In a garden we cull the choicest flowers.

   Synonyms:
   choose, cull, elect, pick, pick out, select

   Antonyms:
   cast away, cast out, decline, disclaim, dismiss, leave, refuse, reject, repudiate, throw aside

   Preposition:
   Choose from or from among the number; choose out of the army; choose between (or betwixt) two; among many; choose for the purpose.

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. prefer

   Synonyms:
   choose, elect, select, fancy, promote, advance, further

   Antonyms:
   reject, postpone, defer, withhold, degrade, depress

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:1.0 / 1 vote

1. preferverb

   like better; value more highly

   "Some people prefer camping to staying in hotels"; "We prefer sleeping outside"

   Synonyms:
   choose, favor, favour, opt

2. choose, prefer, optverb

   select as an alternative over another

   "I always choose the fish over the meat courses in this restaurant"; "She opted for the job on the East coast"

   Synonyms:
   take, select, choose, opt, favor, favour, pick out

3. prefer, favor, favourverb

   promote over another

   "he favors his second daughter"

   Synonyms:
   choose, favor, privilege, favour, opt

4. preferverb

   give preference to one creditor over another

   Synonyms:
   choose, favor, favour, opt

Matched Categories

1. • Law
   • Like
   • Pay
   • Promote

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:4.0 / 1 vote

1. preferverb

   Synonyms:
   offer, present, address, bring forward, set forth

2. preferverb

   Synonyms:
   raise, exalt, promote, advance

3. preferverb

   Synonyms:
   choose, select, elect, pick, pick out, single out, fix upon, pitch upon

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:3.0 / 1 vote

1. List of paraphrases for "prefer":

   prefers, preferred, favor, lieber, preference

How to pronounce prefer?

How to say prefer in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use prefer in a sentence?

1. John McCain:

   I think I prefer others who have a better grasp in my view of the challenges we face.

2. Grant Paulsen:

   I do not think it's clear that one is any better than the other. They are different, it is very much what the parents prefer. Balancing those differences as well as, honestly, what's available and what Nina Alfieri has or what the local hospital has.

3. Mohammad Reza Domiri Ganji:

   I prefer mornings, as the light is more appropriate and there are fewer people around, in the afternoon, these places are usually crowded, and in the evenings, some of them are closed for praying rituals.

4. Jacqueline Gollan:

   We get tired of making decisions during uncertainty and some of us will ignore the warnings to reclaim our routines, we prefer pleasure now and risk pain later.

5. Michael Collins -LRB- L -RRB-:

   I'd prefer what I would call the John F. Kennedy express method, i think if we want to go to Mars, we should so declare and go -- the same way President Kennedy described the forthcoming lunar landing.