preferred

The word “preferred” means liked or chosen above other options; favored. In plain terms, the favored choice — either in a general sense, or as a specific type of company stock with priority payouts.

“Preferred” is pronounced prih-FURD (/pɹɪˈfɝd/ in IPA).

Here is “preferred” used in a sentence: “Cash is still the preferred payment method at the market.”

The opposite of “preferred” — its antonyms — is antipreferred.

Depending on how it is used, “preferred” can be an adjective and a noun.

“Preferred” is a fairly common word in modern English.

“Preferred” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: liked or chosen above other options; favored.

"Preferred" means liked or chosen above other options and often implies a comparison or decision between alternatives, as in "my preferred method." "Favorite" means the single one you like best, with a warmer, more personal feel. A preferred option is the one you would pick, while a favorite is the one you love most.

"Preferred" describes something that has actually been chosen or is favored, as in "the preferred candidate." "Preferable" means more desirable or better as a matter of judgment, as in "walking is preferable to driving." Preferred reports a choice; preferable states that one option is better.

Preferred stock refers to shares that get priority for dividends over ordinary or common shares, usually at a fixed rate. Common stock typically carries voting rights but is paid after preferred shareholders. In short, preferred stock trades voting power for dividend priority.

When the verb "prefer" underlies the comparison, the usual pairing is "to," as in "coffee is preferred to tea." In everyday use, "preferred over" is also common when contrasting options, as in "the preferred choice over the alternatives." The related verb "prefer" takes "to," not "than."