1
as in preferably
by choice or preference
I would rather go to the movies than stay at home
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in instead
as a substitute
don't think of the placement test as torture but rather as a chance to show off how much you know
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in pretty
to some degree or extent
I say, don't you think that's rather expensive for a hamburger?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of rather
What if the perspectives, languages, histories, emotions, and politics of our staff and visitors are not problems to be fixed but rather answers to our problems?
—
Eric Crosby, Artforum, 1 May 2025
The Policy Imperative The mixed results of extended foster care nationally shouldn't prompt us to abandon the model but rather to refine it.
—First Place For Youth, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
Not from an injury standpoint, but rather from an illness circulating the Mets’ clubhouse.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 1 May 2025
The imbalance isn’t necessarily a sign of weakness but rather a byproduct of relentless drive and dedication.
—Nia Bowers, USA Today, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for rather
Eric Crosby, Artforum, 1 May 2025
The Policy Imperative The mixed results of extended foster care nationally shouldn't prompt us to abandon the model but rather to refine it.
—First Place For Youth, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
Not from an injury standpoint, but rather from an illness circulating the Mets’ clubhouse.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 1 May 2025
The imbalance isn’t necessarily a sign of weakness but rather a byproduct of relentless drive and dedication.
—Nia Bowers, USA Today, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for rather
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rather
Adverb
-
Your best bet is to use machines affiliated with major international banks—think HSBC, Barclays, Santander—preferably during business hours in case something goes wrong (for example, your card gets stuck in the machine).—
Bailey Berg,
AFAR Media,
28 Apr. 2025
-
Image Piffle is better light than heavy, and preferably without a moral.—
Jesse Green,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
Under the House Republican proposal, borrowers currently enrolled in SAVE, PAYE, and ICR would be automatically moved into the IBR plan instead, which is a separate program created by Congress.—
Adam S. Minsky,
Forbes.com,
8 May 2025
-
The program instead asked migrants to apply online, requiring them to secure a U.S.-based financial sponsor in order to secure permission to enter the country and two years of work authorization.—
Rebecca Beitsch,
The Hill,
8 May 2025
Adverb
-
That makes for a pretty crowded receiver room in Green Bay.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Apr. 2025
-
And that’s pretty much what another resident, Rachel (Erica Pappas), says in an attempt to dissuade the council from sending a war party of 16 to Seattle.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
28 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
That’s also true of the relatively small number of people who actually vote in Democratic primaries.—
Bradley Tusk,
New York Daily News,
2 May 2025
-
While the concept of a unisex scent is relatively tame in 2025, the fragrance still holds up.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
Glamour,
2 May 2025
Adverb
-
The Steelers may have a tough decision to make if there is no movement on the Rodgers front soon.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 May 2025
-
In 2018 and 2019, OIG auditors issued separate reports that said Amtrak could strengthen measures to identify fraudulent medical claims sooner.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2025
Adverb
-
When asked about it in his pre-match press conference, Silva, quite fairly, dismissed its relevance in strong terms.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
-
The hidden joke of their routines — what even a lot of the long-haired druggie types in the audience didn’t quite get — is that the counterculture was over.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
The SpaceX crew missions contracted under NASA are fairly routine six-month trips to the space station for astronauts to conduct science experiments.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
2 May 2025
-
The Leafs used to do this sort of thing fairly regularly.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Adverb
-
With the team in a somewhat barren run, Inter supporters would love to see the 28-year-old making a trademark surge into the box and bag a crucial goal.—
Adam Digby,
Forbes.com,
4 May 2025
-
It’s been a confusing and somewhat soulless campaign under Enzo Maresca, but Chelsea are gathering momentum at a crucial time, having notched up two successive victories, including a dramatic late win at Fulham a fortnight ago.—
Tom Burrows,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rather. Accessed 11 May. 2025.
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