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Prevailing vs Preferred - What's the difference?

prevailing | preferred |

As adjectives the difference between prevailing and preferred

is that prevailing is predominant; of greatest force while preferred is favoured.

As verbs the difference between prevailing and preferred

is that prevailing is while preferred is (prefer).

As a noun preferred is

(finance) preferred stock.

prevailing

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Predominant; of greatest force.
    • The prevailing opinion was for additional planning time.
  • * '', reprinted in 1797, John Bell, ''Bell's British Theatre , Volume 33, page 37 (within play),
    • He has a humour more prevailing than his curiosity, and will willingly dispense with the hearing of one scandalous story, to avoid giving an occasion to make another, by being seen to walk with his wife.
  • * 1807 , , The Life and Most Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner , page 187,
    • and as merciful coun?els are mo?t prevailing when earne?tly pre??ed, ?o I got them to be of the ?ame opinion as to clemency.
  • * 1826 , , House of Commons Papers , Volume 17, page 411,
    • I have heard generally that alderman Archer has a more prevailing and powerful influence in the commons than any other alderman, and exercises that influence ;
  • Prevalent, common, widespread.
  • * 1829 , James Annesley, Sketches of the Most Prevalent Diseases of India , page 247,
    • Fever'' and ''dysentery are the most prevailing diseases in this division, more particularly the latter, which is one of the most destructive amongst the troops in India, and particularly so in the European constitution.
  • * 1832 , David Brewster, Spain'', entry in ''The Edinburgh Encyclopaedia , Volume 17, page 371,
    • One of the most prevailing defects in this people is their invincible indolence, and hatred of labour, which has, at all times, paralysed the government of their best princes, and impeded the success of their most brilliant enterprises.
  • * 1940 , Australian Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics, Official Year Book of the Commonwealth of Australia No. 33 - 1940 , page 49,
    • In Sydney at 9 am, by far the most prevailing wind is a westerly, particularly during the colder two-thirds of the year.

    Verb

    (head)

    • 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.}}