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
But draftniks, in my experience from covering the NFL since 1996, would rather put their children up for adoption than change their opinion on a prospect.
—
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 20 Dec. 2025
Is humanity worth saving when it's turned against nature and would rather repeat past cycles of violence on a distant moon than learn from its mistakes?
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 19 Dec. 2025
Even many adults would rather shock themselves with electricity than experience boredom.
—Margaret Murray, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025
Genevieve Wollinka would rather not be the center of attention.
—Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for would rather
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Troy Renck, Denver Post, 20 Dec. 2025
Is humanity worth saving when it's turned against nature and would rather repeat past cycles of violence on a distant moon than learn from its mistakes?
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 19 Dec. 2025
Even many adults would rather shock themselves with electricity than experience boredom.
—Margaret Murray, The Conversation, 19 Dec. 2025
Genevieve Wollinka would rather not be the center of attention.
—Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 19 Dec. 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 25 Dec. 2025.
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