prefer (someone or something) to (someone or something else)

To choose, or tend to choose, someone or something as more desirable or valuable than someone or something else. I usually prefer tea to coffee, but I need something a little stronger this morning. I don't know why Amy prefers Tom to Steve—Tom is such a jerk!

prefer someone or something to someone (or something else)

to rank the desirability of someone or something over someone or something else. For the post of treasurer, I prefer Don to Jill. I prefer missing a meal to Jill's cooking.

See also: prefer, to

See also:

References in classic literature

I should certainly, after all, prefer to call him - what did you say his other name was?"

View in context

Statistics show that he does NOT prefer to remain quiescent.

View in context

But Philip saw that he was suffering, and at the end of the hour asked whether he would not prefer to give no more lessons till he was better.

View in context

From Leghorn to Naples (calling at Civita Vecchia to land any who may prefer to go to Rome from that point), the distance will be made in about thirty-six hours; the route will lay along the coast of Italy, close by Caprera, Elba, and Corsica.

View in context

Students do not prefer to read online, they would rather print the materials, which are mostly static pages although graphics are present.

Our study showed a preference for the visual mode of perception and we find a majority of students saying that they prefer to print material from the web site since there is a lot a text.

Student perceptions of Web-based learning

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