Word
preference
Phoneticspref·er·ence
US/ˈpɹɛfɝəns/
UK/pɹˈɛfɹəns/
Definitions
01liking one thing more
n. a feeling of liking or wanting one person or thing more than another.
n. the act of selecting or favouring one thing or person over others based on personal taste or judgment.
“The hotel asked if we had a preference for a room with a view of the sea.”
“The survey revealed a strong consumer preference for organic produce, even when the price point was significantly higher than conventional alternatives.”
Usage
Usually takes the preposition 'for' followed by the preferred item.
Pitfall
I have a preference of tea over coffee.
I have a preference for tea over coffee.
While 'of' is sometimes used, 'for' is the standard preposition when expressing a liking for something.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02the thing chosen
n. the specific thing that you choose or like best.
n. the specific object, person, or option that has been selected as the preferred choice.
“My first preference would be to travel by train rather than fly.”
“If the primary candidate declines the offer, our second preference is a researcher currently based in Berlin.”
03special treatment
n. giving an advantage to one person or group over others.
n. the state of being granted prior right or advantage; often used in legal or trade contexts regarding 'preferential' treatment.
“The company gives preference to applicants who already speak a second language.”
“The trade agreement ensures that member states receive preference regarding the import of raw materials and heavy machinery.”
Formal
Usage
Often appears in the phrase 'give preference to'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
04to give an advantage
v. to give someone or something a better position or special treatment.
v. to grant preferential treatment to a person or entity, typically in an administrative or legal capacity.
“The new policy was designed to preference local businesses during the bidding process.”
“The legislation was criticised for attempting to preference domestic manufacturers at the expense of international trade relations.”
American English · Formal · Technical
Usage
This verb use is rare outside of specific legal or bureaucratic documents.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Injuries, plus a preference for him to play England Under-19 matches last summer, meant he did not feature for Lancashire's first team at all in 2025.” “The government's preference is for it to fall somewhere between eight and 20 hours a week.” Etymology
From Middle French preference, from Medieval Latin preferentia. Doublet of preferans. Morphologically prefer + -ence.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Collocations
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/preference