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prefer
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/prɪˈfɜː(r)/ 
| present tense | |
| I/you/we/they | prefer |
| he/she/it | prefers |
| present participle | preferring |
| past tense | preferred |
| past participle | preferred |
- [never progressive] to like or want someone or something more than someone or something else
Which do you prefer, the red or the blue one?
much prefer someone/something:I much prefer your hair like that.
prefer someone/something to someone/something:Even today, most Americans prefer coffee to tea.
prefer to do something:Do you prefer to exercise indoors or out of doors?
prefer doing something:I prefer working on my own.
prefer someone to do something:I’d prefer you to drive, if you don’t mind.
prefer something (to be) something:I prefer my curry a little spicier.
would prefer (that):I’d prefer that the job were a little closer to my home.
someone would prefer it if:The doctor would prefer it if you could come a little earlier.
something is to be preferred to something:The original is definitely to be preferred to this inferior new version.
phrases
This is the British English definition of prefer. View American English definition of prefer.
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