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
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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of rather
The most unnerving possibility is that Operation Epic Fury is not the culmination of his shift toward a war presidency, but rather the beginning of a new chapter.
—
Eric Cortellessa, Time, 5 Mar. 2026
The bike does not qualify as an e-bike, but rather a motorcycle, the district attorney’s office said.
—Sierra Van Der Brug, Oc Register, 4 Mar. 2026
The Trigger Warning star took to Instagram on Wednesday, March 4 with full-on disco curls and a zebra-print halter dress in what was a rather dramatic departure from her signature loose waves and laid-back, California-cool style.
—Emma Banks, InStyle, 4 Mar. 2026
But his role was not to fix a flailing business, but, rather, to keep a roaring flame alive.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rather
Eric Cortellessa, Time, 5 Mar. 2026
The bike does not qualify as an e-bike, but rather a motorcycle, the district attorney’s office said.
—Sierra Van Der Brug, Oc Register, 4 Mar. 2026
The Trigger Warning star took to Instagram on Wednesday, March 4 with full-on disco curls and a zebra-print halter dress in what was a rather dramatic departure from her signature loose waves and laid-back, California-cool style.
—Emma Banks, InStyle, 4 Mar. 2026
But his role was not to fix a flailing business, but, rather, to keep a roaring flame alive.
—José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 4 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rather
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rather
Adverb
-
For wide-angle landscape shots using a mirrorless or DSLR camera (preferably full-frame to capture stars around the eclipsed moon), choose a 14mm-35mm lens.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
2 Mar. 2026
-
There’s hardly anything more quintessential to the Golden Isles than casual dinner and drinks on the waterfront—preferably right as the sun is going down.—
Lydia Mansel,
Southern Living,
1 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
That might come as news to DiZoglio, who has roasted Campbell for not taking her side and siding with the Legislature instead.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Perhaps sensing this wariness, the creators of some of the more politically compelling movies and TV shows of the past year have instead explored how being alive feels during a tumultuous period.—
Jake Pitre,
The Atlantic,
7 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
A lot of folks could likely get by with less storage, but Touch ID is pretty much an essential quality-of-life feature that Apple should've included with the base model.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Crockett lost, pretty resoundingly, especially with white and Latino voters.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
But at the top, Steyer has his own cash and isn’t going to go willingly.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Buck claimed Moore willingly participated in the actions.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
5 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
While this week’s increase was relatively small, financial analysts warn that a prolonged conflict in the Middle East could trigger a broader bond sell-off.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
-
These fibers combine electrical resistivity suitable for Joule heating with exceptional strength and relatively high thermal conductivity.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
The deeper the water, the sooner a vehicle loses traction on the road.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Mar. 2026
-
The deeper the water, the sooner a vehicle loses traction on the road.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
7 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
The service Despite the fact that the resort is, quite literally, removed from direct access to any major city, no special request seems too unrealistic or unreasonable.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 Mar. 2026
-
On the offensive line, five-star offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe — at 6-foot-7, 330 pounds — already looks quite capable of contributing on a Big Ten front.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
The show, which first opened in London in 2022, has a fairly devoted following and the developers behind the project (Extell is joined by Bluestone Group on this ABBA Voyage) are anticipating crowds.—
Clio Chang,
Curbed,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The crew member was ultimately taken into the church and locals performed an exorcism – something Robinson says is a fairly normal occurrence in the Philippines.—
Diana Lodderhose,
Deadline,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rather. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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