preferential

adjective

pref·​er·​en·​tial ˌpre-fə-ˈren(t)-shəl 

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

ˌpre-fə-ˈren(t)-sh(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of preferential in a Sentence

powerful people who demand preferential treatment from politicians

Recent Examples on the Web

Best of all, Untappd does not require any breweries to pay an entry fee for their beers to be on its platform, so there is no preferential treatment on their side. —Hudson Lindenberger, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025

Attention fired federal workers: Those who lost jobs due to recent cutbacks by President Trump might soon be getting preferential treatment for landing a position on the Kansas City payroll. —Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 12 Mar. 2025

The provisional three-year pact, announced on Friday, offers union members advance notice of layoffs and preferential treatment for rehire and a minimum of eight weeks of severance if they are cut from the job. —Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2025

Precious metals that fall outside these parameters are considered collectibles and are not eligible for preferential tax treatment. —Gabriel O Rodriguez, Sacramento Bee, 26 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for preferential

• consequential
• deferential
• evidential
• existential
• exponential
• influential
• nonessential
• penitential
• precedential
• presidential
• providential
• referential

Kids Definition

preferential

adjective

pref·​er·​en·​tial ˌpref-ə-ˈren-chəl 

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

-ˈrench-(ə-)lē 

adverb

Legal Definition

preferential

adjective

pref·​e·​ren·​tial ˌpre-fə-ˈren-chəl 

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