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Recommend vs Prefer - What's the difference?

recommend | prefer |

In transitive terms the difference between recommend and prefer

is that recommend is to advise, propose, counsel favorably while prefer is to present or submit (something) to an authority (now usually in "to prefer charges").

recommend

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To bestow commendation on; to represent favourably; to suggest, endorse or encourage as an appropriate choice.
  • The board recommends Philips, given his ample experience in similar positions.
  • To make acceptable; to attract favor to.
  • To advise, propose, counsel favorably
  • The therapist recommends resting the mind and exercising the body.
  • (archaic) To commit, confide to another's care, confidence or acceptance, with favoring representations
  • ''A medieval oblate's parents recommended the boy for life to God and the monastery

    Usage notes

    * This is a catenative verb that takes the gerund (-ing) . See

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Antonyms

    * discourage * disapprove * oppose

    Derived terms

    * recommendable * recommendatory * recommended * recommender

    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