Prefer vs. Recommend — What's the Difference?

Like (one thing or person) better than another or others; tend to choose

To praise or commend to another as being worthy or desirable; endorse

Submit (a charge or a piece of information) for consideration

To make attractive or acceptable

Promote or advance (someone) to a prestigious position

To advise or counsel

To choose or be in the habit of choosing as more desirable or as having more value

To commit to the charge of another; entrust

To give priority or precedence to (a creditor).

To give advice or counsel

To present (a charge) against a defendant before a court

(transitive) To bestow commendation on; to represent favourably; to suggest, endorse or encourage as an appropriate choice.

To present (a case) to a court as ready for consideration

(transitive) To make acceptable; to attract favor to.

(Archaic) To recommend for advancement or appointment; promote.

(transitive) To advise, propose, counsel favorably

(transitive) To be in the habit of choosing something rather than something else; to favor; to like better.

To commit, confide to another's care, confidence or acceptance, with favoring representations

To advance, promote (someone or something).

To commend to the favorable notice of another; to commit to another's care, confidence, or acceptance, with favoring representations; to put in a favorable light before any one; to bestow commendation on; as, he recommended resting the mind and exercising the body.

(transitive) To present or submit (something) to an authority (now usually in "to prefer charges").

To make acceptable; to attract favor to.

To put forward for acceptance; to introduce, recommend (to).

To commit; to give in charge; to commend.

To carry or bring (something) forward, or before one; hence, to bring for consideration, acceptance, judgment, etc.; to offer; to present; to proffer; to address; - said especially of a request, prayer, petition, claim, charge, etc.

Push for something;

To go before, or be before, in estimation; to outrank; to surpass.

Express a good opinion of

To cause to go before; hence, to advance before others, as to an office or dignity; to raise; to exalt; to promote; as, to prefer an officer to the rank of general.

Make attractive or acceptable;

To set above or before something else in estimation, favor, or liking; to regard or honor before another; to hold in greater favor; to choose rather; - often followed by to, before, or above.

Like better; value more highly;

Select as an alternative; choose instead; prefer as an alternative;

Promote over another;

Give preference to one creditor over another