prefer

prefer — verb

1. to want or choose one person, thing, or plan more than another.

1.verbtransitiveA2
Definition

to want or choose one person, thing, or plan more than another.

Example

On hot days, Lina prefers tea to sweet milk drinks.

pattern: prefer A to B

Most children in our class prefer reading outside after lunch.

prefer + -ing form

Common collocations
  • prefer tea to coffee
  • prefer reading outside
  • prefer to eat in your room
  • prefer a quiet place
  • strongly prefer
Synonyms
  • like better

    more conversational and more personal in tone

  • would rather

    used especially before another verb for a particular situation

  • favor

    more formal and often used for policies, groups, or general tendencies

Grammar Patterns

prefer A to B

prefer doing something to doing something

prefer to do something

Usage Note

The comparison pattern is usually 'prefer A to B', not 'prefer A than B'. Both 'prefer doing' and 'prefer to do' are common. Distinguish from sense 2, which is a formal legal use.

Common Mistakes

I prefer tea than coffee.
I prefer tea to coffee.
use 'to' after the first choice, not 'than'.
Mina prefers to stay home than go out.
Mina prefers to stay home rather than go out.
with two verbs, use 'rather than' after the first action.

2. to state in a formal legal way that someone has committed a crime.

2.verbtransitiveC2
Definition

to state in a formal legal way that someone has committed a crime.

Example

Police decided to prefer charges against the truck driver after the crash.

legal pattern: decide to prefer charges against + person

New court papers show prosecutors preferred fraud charges in March.

Common collocations
  • prefer charges
  • prefer charges against a driver
  • prefer a criminal charge
  • charges were preferred
Synonyms
  • charge

    the plain modern legal verb

  • accuse

    broader and not limited to legal action

  • indict

    more specific; used when a grand jury or similar body makes the formal charge

Grammar Patterns

prefer charges against + person

prefer a charge

charges are preferred against + person

Usage Note

Usually used with legal nouns such as 'charges' or 'charge', often by police, prosecutors, or state lawyers. In everyday English, people normally say 'accuse' or 'charge' instead.

Common Mistakes

Police preferred him yesterday.
Police preferred charges against him yesterday.
this legal sense is usually used with 'charges' or a similar legal noun.
The school preferred charges against Leo for cheating.
The school accused Leo of cheating.
'prefer charges' belongs mainly to formal legal contexts.
Idioms

bring/press/lay/prefer charges against somebody

idiom

To officially accuse someone of a crime so that the case can go to court.

The store owner decided to press charges against the shoplifter.

Did the victim bring charges against her attacker?

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Prefer is the most neutral word when you compare two choices and say which one seems better to you. Like better is more conversational and often sounds more personal. Would rather is especially useful before another verb when you talk about what you want to do in one situation. Choose focuses on the act of deciding, not just your feeling. Favor is more formal and can also suggest policy, public support, or a general tendency. You can prefer tea to coffee, say you would rather stay home tonight, or choose the earlier train. A school may favor smaller classes, but that is broader than one person's private preference.

prefer ↗like betterwould ratherchoose ↗favor ↗

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Prefer came into English through French and Latin. Its older source is Latin praeferre, built from prae meaning 'before' and ferre meaning 'carry' or 'bring'. The basic idea was putting one thing before another, which later became the modern sense of liking or choosing one option over another. The legal sense grew from the older formal idea of putting a charge before a court.