1
: liked better or best : used or wanted in preference to others
a preferred method
'Leveled' is the preferred spelling in American English.
2
: having special status or receiving special treatment or benefits
preferred customers
Examples of preferred in a Sentence
my preferred means of communication is e-mail
Recent Examples on the Web
Voting rights, stock restrictions, vesting schedules, preferred terms and more must be carefully considered before they are issued.
—
Thomas Burgess, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
Developers create detailed manuals outlining their preferred ethical stances, which either human reviewers or AI systems then use as a rubric to evaluate and improve the chatbot's responses, effectively coding these values into the machine.
—CBS News, 15 July 2025
Clear skies are the preferred conditions for spotting the northern lights, so cross your fingers for zero rain or clouds that can hinder views.
—Skyler Caruso, People.com, 14 July 2025
After Trump slapped higher tariffs on China in his first term, the US has looked more to Mexico for electronics than to China, which used to be a preferred source.
—Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for preferred
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Thomas Burgess, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
Developers create detailed manuals outlining their preferred ethical stances, which either human reviewers or AI systems then use as a rubric to evaluate and improve the chatbot's responses, effectively coding these values into the machine.
—CBS News, 15 July 2025
Clear skies are the preferred conditions for spotting the northern lights, so cross your fingers for zero rain or clouds that can hinder views.
—Skyler Caruso, People.com, 14 July 2025
After Trump slapped higher tariffs on China in his first term, the US has looked more to Mexico for electronics than to China, which used to be a preferred source.
—Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for preferred
Cite this Entry
“Preferred.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preferred. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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