as in rather
by choice or preference
I like football, but preferably watching from the stands rather than being down on the field
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of preferably
Experts recommend giving your eyes time to adapt to the darkness, preferably about half an hour.
—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
23 June 2026
Prune indeterminate tomatoes at least every couple of weeks, preferably more often, as new suckers appear on the plant.
—
Patricia S York,
Southern Living,
22 June 2026
Seek shelter promptly in a safe location, preferably indoors.
—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
19 June 2026
Greenberg said his near-term plan for the building is to try to lease it out, preferably to a single tenant.
—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for preferably
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
23 June 2026
Prune indeterminate tomatoes at least every couple of weeks, preferably more often, as new suckers appear on the plant.
—
Patricia S York,
Southern Living,
22 June 2026
Seek shelter promptly in a safe location, preferably indoors.
—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
19 June 2026
Greenberg said his near-term plan for the building is to try to lease it out, preferably to a single tenant.
—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for preferably
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preferably
Adverb
-
America's Block Party is not a singular event but rather an umbrella for local events throughout the United States.
-
Its light is rather that of a glowing molten metal than that of a burning furnace.
Adverb
-
Then, the Clippers willingly expended their draft capital in hopes to open a championship window.
-
According to the court, the user is not willingly sharing their location data to Google just by using its services, making for a similar situation as location information shared to, say, telecommunications companies.
Cite this Entry
“Preferably.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preferably. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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