Preferable means more desirable or better suited than other options. When something is preferable, you'd choose it over the alternatives if given the chance.

If your teacher says it's preferable to turn in your homework typed rather than handwritten, she means typing would be better, though handwriting might still be acceptable. When a coach says that arriving fifteen minutes early is preferable to arriving right on time, he's telling you the better choice without making it a strict rule.

The word helps us express preferences without being absolute. It's different from saying something is required or necessary. A museum might say visiting on weekdays is preferable to weekends because it's less crowded, but you can still go on Saturday if that works better for your family.

You'll often see preferable used when comparing options: “Walking to school is preferable to getting a ride if the weather is nice” or “Studying a little each night is preferable to cramming the night before a test.” The word suggests one choice is wiser, more pleasant, or more effective than another, while leaving room for different circumstances or opinions.