[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/preferable/)

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# preferable

adjective (preferable)

«preferable» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

Preferable means better or more suitable, so you would rather have or choose it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preferable/#m1)

### In the lessons

In everyday life and formal talk, «X is preferable to Y» means X is the better choice. In school, «it is preferable to show your working» means you should do it. In safety, «walking is preferable to running near the pool». Common phrases: «preferable to», «far preferable», «it is preferable to», «infinitely preferable».

### Examples

- A small, friendly school is preferable to a big one for my little brother. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preferable/#x1)
- Sleeping in a tent is preferable to sleeping outside in the rain. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preferable/#x2)
- It is preferable to use a pencil for maths. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preferable/#x3)
- Water is preferable to fizzy drinks when you're thirsty. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preferable/#x4)
- Short sentences are often preferable in instructions. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preferable/#x5)
- Any answer is preferable to a blank space in a test. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preferable/#x6)
- A Carpenter, with equal enthusiasm, proposed timber as a preferable method of defense. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preferable/#x7)

### Note

Use «preferable to», not «preferable than». Do not say «more preferable», because «preferable» already means «better». Adverb: «preferably». Say PREF-er-uh-bul (stress on the first syllable).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «preferable» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/preferable/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«preferable» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/preferable.html) on Mova free.