preferablepref‧e‧ra‧ble /ˈprefərəbəl/ ●○○ adjective 
For this dish, fresh herbs and garlic are preferable. In warm weather, clothes made of natural fabrics are infinitely preferable (=much better).preferable to (doing) something Being taught in a small group is far preferable to being in a large, noisy classroom.► see thesaurus at better
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- As far as I'm concerned anything would be preferable to staying here alone.
- So we're agreed. Our preferable course of action is to do nothing until the report is published.
- The most preferable arrangement would be for us to pay very low interest over a long period of time.
- A limited contract for a few sessions, at least in the first instance, is always preferable.
- After a while, deciding that discretion was preferable, they moved off some distance into the desert parallel to the road.
- At that point, even a 3, 000-mile plane ride home into relentless headwinds almost seemed preferable to Vancouver.
- But how can we decide which analysis is preferable?
- Even to some one as straight as myself, the bearded gentleman is preferable to Anneka Rice or Judith Chalmers.
- I found this vaguely reassuring; a short, sharp death seemed preferable to a long, slow chewing underwater.
- It must be preferable that the original action proceed rather than being convoluted into a negligence action.
- Nevertheless, many people still cling to the vinyl disk as preferable.
THESAURUS
the comparative of good: · She wants a better job.· The sales figures were far better than expected.· Lucy’s better at French than I am.
better, especially in quality: · German cars are far superior.· a superior product· He thinks men are superior to women.
formal more suitable or useful – used when saying which one you prefer: · Cash would be preferable.· Anything would be preferable to the system we have now.
to be better than something that existed before: · The engine is a huge improvement on previous diesel engines.
to be slightly better than another person or thing – used especially when saying which one will win in a game or competition: · Federer is likely to have the edge in Sunday’s game.· For me, this film has the edge over the others.
(also be streets ahead (of somebody/something) British English) informal to be very much better than someone or something that you are competing against: · The company is streets ahead of its rivals.
spoken used to emphasize that one person or thing is clearly much better than someone or something else: · There’s no comparison between the two teams.· ‘Which apartment do you prefer?’ ‘Well, there’s no comparison. The first one we saw is bigger, quieter, and has much nicer furniture.’
Longman Language Activatorwhen one thing is preferred to another · Come early in the week -- on Monday preferably.· We're looking for well-qualified young people, preferably with good computer skills.· "And you need to get a can of beans." "Black or red?" "Whichever they have. Preferably black."
formal a choice, result, situation etc that is preferable is one that you would prefer: · So we're agreed. Our preferable course of action is to do nothing until the report is published.· The most preferable arrangement would be for us to pay very low interest over a long period of time.preferable to: · As far as I'm concerned anything would be preferable to staying here alone.
formal: preferred method/option/course of action etc the method, choice etc that you would prefer when there are several to choose from: · The preferred method was to cut the grass early in the morning when it was still wet.· Yes, that would be my preferred course of action.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY In warm weather, clothes made of natural fabrics are infinitely preferable (=much better). Being taught in a small group is far preferable to being in a large, noisy classroom.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
In warm weather, clothes made of natural fabrics are infinitely preferable (=much better). Being taught in a small group is far preferable to being in a large, noisy classroom.· It is always preferable to have the rig nearer the wave rather than viceversa.· For lots of blooms, full sun is always preferable, but echinacea will take half sun and half shade.· A limited contract for a few sessions, at least in the first instance, is always preferable.· Here Mr Kinnock should set out clearly why, in the Gorbachev era, negotiated rather than unilateral disarmament is almost always preferable.
· Nevertheless, many people still cling to the vinyl disk as preferable.
· In fact, too few words are far preferable to too many.· Jackson, who opposes the welfare overhaul, says Clinton is far preferable to Dole.· Discomfort in the open air was far preferable to him.· From upwards its tone becomes thin and rather unsatisfactory, the flute being far preferable at that altitude.· However, it is far preferable for companies to utilise the professional services of a company such as Rentokil Tropical Plants.
· In retrospect, dying of the disease itself would seem infinitely preferable to the agonies of death from mercury poisoning.· As a class, professional golfers are swell well-scrubbed chaps and chaplets, infinitely preferable to professional wrestlers or professional loan sharks.· It was fantastic and, I must confess, infinitely preferable to staying on my feet for two hours.· However good they might be as students, their families feel that marriage is infinitely preferable to a college career.· As exorcisms go, it was infinitely preferable to hurling verbal stakes at a callow Cambridge offspinner.
· But he argues that rule-making is none the less a useful device, and that it is often preferable to direct action.· They argue it is often preferable to the alternatives: batons and revolvers.
WORD FAMILYadjectivepreferablepreferentialadverbpreferablypreferentiallynounpreferenceverbprefer
better or more suitable: For this dish, fresh herbs and garlic are preferable. In warm weather, clothes made of natural fabrics are infinitely preferable (=much better).preferable to (doing) something Being taught in a small group is far preferable to being in a large, noisy classroom.► see thesaurus at better