What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Prefer vs Preferred - What's the difference?

prefer | preferred |

As verbs the difference between prefer and preferred

is that prefer is to advance, promote (someone) while preferred is past tense of prefer.

As an adjective preferred is

favoured.

As a noun preferred is

preferred stock.

prefer

English

Alternative forms

* * preferre

Verb

(preferr)
  • *, II.3.2:
  • *:Tiberius preferred many to honours in his time, because they were famous whoremasters and sturdy drinkers.
  • (lb) To be in the habit of choosing something rather than something else; to favor; to like better.
  • :
  • *
  • *:"My tastes," he said, still smiling, "incline me to the garishly sunlit side of this planet." And, to tease her and arouse her to combat: "I prefer a farandole to a nocturne; I'd rather have a painting than an etching; Mr. Whistler bores me with his monochromatic mud; I don't like dull colours, dull sounds, dull intellects;."
  • (lb) To present or submit (something) to an authority (now usually in "to prefer charges").
  • *1630 , , True Travels , in Kupperman 1988, p.36:
  • *:one Master David Hume, who making some use of his purse, gave him Letters to his friends in Scotland to preferre him to King James.
  • *1817 , (Walter Scott), , XVII:
  • *:Such were the arguments which my will boldly preferred to my conscience, as coin which ought to be current, and which conscience, like a grumbling shopkeeper, was contented to accept.

    • Usage notes

    * The verb can be used in three different forms: *
  • prefer'' + noun + ''to'' (or ''over'') + noun. Example: ''I prefer coffee to tea .
    • *
  • prefer'' + gerund + ''to'' (or ''over'') + gerund. Example: ''I prefer skiing to swimming .
    • *
  • prefer'' + full infinitive + ''rather than'' + bare infinitive. Example: ''I prefer to eat fish rather than (eat) meat .

    • Derived terms

    * preference * preferential

    preferred

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (archaic)

    Verb

    (head)
  • (prefer)

    • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • favoured

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • (finance) Preferred stock.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2008, date=March 30, author=Gretchen Morgenson, title=If You Can’t Sell, Good Luck, work=New York Times citation
    • , passage=Naturally, closed-end funds’ common shareholders love the juice that auction-rate preferreds provide.}}