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
If, for example, one person would rather spend the money on an expedition into nature and the other would rather spend it on an expensive resort, this shows a discrepancy in lifestyle preferences.
—
Adriana Morga, Fortune, 20 Feb. 2026
Both women would rather buy legal cannabis than hemp.
—Gina Lee Castro, jsonline.com, 19 Feb. 2026
With a healthy Curry leading the way, that’s a challenge that any team in the Warriors’ way would rather not face.
—Nick Friedell, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Nina would rather remain loyal to her soil.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Feb. 2026
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.
Adriana Morga, Fortune, 20 Feb. 2026
Both women would rather buy legal cannabis than hemp.
—Gina Lee Castro, jsonline.com, 19 Feb. 2026
With a healthy Curry leading the way, that’s a challenge that any team in the Warriors’ way would rather not face.
—Nick Friedell, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Nina would rather remain loyal to her soil.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Feb. 2026
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 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
