preferential

adjective

pref·​er·​en·​tial ˌpre-fə-ˈren(t)-shəl How to pronounce preferential (audio)
1
: showing preference
2
: employing or creating a preference in trade relations
3
: designed to permit expression of preference among candidates
a preferential primary
4
: giving preference especially in hiring to union members
a preferential shop
preferentially adverb

Examples of preferential in a Sentence

powerful people who demand preferential treatment from politicians
Recent Examples on the Web These actors are not seeking any form of preferential treatment in casting calls. Diego Ramos Bechara, Variety, 18 Mar. 2024 Instead of a policy created to even the playing field for a people who had been systematically held back and still faced pervasive discrimination, affirmative action was cast as a program that punished white Americans by giving unfair preferential treatment to Black Americans. Nikole Hannah-Jones, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024 And there’s a bill in Congress with bipartisan sponsors, Sens. Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), that would amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require institutions to adopt admissions practices that don’t give preferential treatment to children of alumni or donors. Susan Svrluga, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 Unable to satisfy the public’s hunger for peace and normality, the regime has resorted to gigantic social expenditures and preferential treatment for the poor, turning Russia into Putin’s Barbieland. Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 7 Mar. 2024 That bill later was amended to just require private universities annually report their preferential treatment admission numbers to the state. Andrew Sheeler, Sacramento Bee, 28 Feb. 2024 Feds reject a private company's plan to build hydropower projects on the Navajo Nation Arizona Senate passes bill to allow Ten Commandments in public school classrooms Tempe detectives say Charles Ryan received preferential treatment after standoff What does Arizona law say about IVF embryos? Coleby Phillips, The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024 But there’s been a growing movement targeting those initiatives, with critics claiming those efforts are racist and create preferential treatment for those groups. James Farrell, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 The University of California and California State University systems do not give preferential treatment to children of alumni and donors, and some private institutions, such as Occidental and Pomona Colleges, have dropped the practice in recent years. Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'preferential.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of preferential was in 1849

Dictionary Entries Near preferential

Cite this Entry

“Preferential.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preferential. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

preferential

adjective
pref·​er·​en·​tial ˌpref-ə-ˈren-chəl How to pronounce preferential (audio)
1
: of or relating to preference
2
: showing preference
preferential treatment
3
: creating or using preference in trading
4
: permitting the showing of order of preference (as of candidates in an election)
a preferential ballot
preferentially adverb

Legal Definition

preferential

adjective
pref·​e·​ren·​tial ˌpre-fə-ˈren-chəl How to pronounce preferential (audio)
1
: of or constituting a preference
a preferential transfer
2
: giving preference to union members especially in hiring
a preferential shop
3
: showing preference
these creditors may obtain preferential treatment

More from Merriam-Webster on preferential

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