preferably

adverb

pref·​er·​a·​bly ˈpre-f(ə-)rə-blē 

: by choice or preference

—used to indicate what is wanted or preferred

The work should be done soon, preferably by the end of the week.

Applicants should hold a college degree, preferably with teaching experience.

Water thoroughly during the coolest time of day (preferably early morning), then allow soil to dry completely … before watering again.

—Michael MacCaskey

Mound flour on a work surface (preferably wooden) and make a large well in center with your fingertips.

—Lynne Rossetto Kasper

Synonyms

• fain
• first
• rather
• readily
• soon
• willingly

Examples of preferably in a Sentence

I like football, but preferably watching from the stands rather than being down on the field

Recent Examples on the Web

Use strong multifactor authentication, preferably passkeys or FIDO U2F keys, and audit user permissions regularly. —Julio Fort, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025

Russia will be particularly interested in minimizing security guarantees for Ukraine, and so such guarantees would preferably be agreed on by Ukraine and its allies prior to negotiations with Russia. —Tetiana Kyselova, Foreign Affairs, 1 Mar. 2025

If brownies and bars are your thing, opt for a set that has some deeper bakers, preferably square or rectangular. —Carrie Honaker, Southern Living, 26 Feb. 2025

Seguin liked to work the ball inside, preferably, but looking for the best shot. —Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1700, in the meaning defined above