prefer

verb

(transitive) To be in the habit of choosing something rather than something else; to favor; to like better.

(transitive) To present or submit (something) to an authority (now usually in "to prefer charges").

(transitive, now dated) To advance, promote (someone or something).

(obsolete, transitive) To put forward for acceptance; to introduce, recommend (to).

Roots

praepre- · Latin · before, in front fero-fer · Latin · carry, bear

Synonyms for prefer

choosev favorn wantv ratheradv recommendv wishv suggestv

Synonyms & related words for prefer

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of prefer — including choose, favor, want, rather, recommend, wish. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to prefer

Explore words related to prefer — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include opt, preferable, druthers, preference, tend, chose, preferably, liked. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for prefer

Common synonyms for prefer include choose, favor, want, rather, recommend, wish, suggest — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does prefer come from?

The word prefer breaks down into 2 roots of Latin origin: pre-, from Latin prae (“before, in front”); and -fer, from Latin fero (“carry, bear”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.