would rather
idiom
—used to indicate what one wants or prefers to do, have, etc.
She would rather drive than take the train.
I would rather you didn't tell them.
"If you'd rather, we can go outside." "No, thanks—I'd rather not."
Which beach would you rather go to?
Examples of would rather in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Nearly half of women (45%) would rather discuss politics, money, or relationships with their mother or grandmother before discussing family health history.
—
Dominique Fluker, Essence, 9 May 2025
The filmmakers would rather focus on the outlandish violence anyway.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025
The strain is so severe that 57% say thet would rather quit their jobs than remain in a toxic workplace, and 42% would prefer to be laid off rather than stay.
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
Just the opposite, the NFL asserts, consumer surveys indicate that nearly 80% of people would rather watch advertisements than pay for content that is currently free.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for would rather
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Dominique Fluker, Essence, 9 May 2025
The filmmakers would rather focus on the outlandish violence anyway.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025
The strain is so severe that 57% say thet would rather quit their jobs than remain in a toxic workplace, and 42% would prefer to be laid off rather than stay.
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
Just the opposite, the NFL asserts, consumer surveys indicate that nearly 80% of people would rather watch advertisements than pay for content that is currently free.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for would rather
Cite this Entry
“Would rather.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/would%20rather. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share