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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Recent Examples of rather
This is not because people lack discipline, but rather because their biology fights hard to return to its old set point.
—
Amy J. Sheer, The Conversation, 5 Feb. 2026
While Kelce would most likely rather be playing in the Super Bowl this weekend, this golf outing in Scottsdale, Arizona works, too.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 5 Feb. 2026
The solution isn’t ever-tighter calorie restriction but rather restoring metabolic balance.
—Bret Scher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Bruley said that his core objection to federal officers isn't to immigration enforcement itself, but rather the way this surge has been carried out.
—Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rather
Amy J. Sheer, The Conversation, 5 Feb. 2026
While Kelce would most likely rather be playing in the Super Bowl this weekend, this golf outing in Scottsdale, Arizona works, too.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 5 Feb. 2026
The solution isn’t ever-tighter calorie restriction but rather restoring metabolic balance.
—Bret Scher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
Bruley said that his core objection to federal officers isn't to immigration enforcement itself, but rather the way this surge has been carried out.
—Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rather
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rather
Adverb
-
Car snow cleaning tips Wear gloves or mittens (preferably waterproof) to limit discomfort.—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Instead, everyone wears high-quality socks, preferably ones made out of Merino wool, like these Smartwool crew socks.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Freelancer's dogfighting represented a move away from the joystick revolution that had defined the space in the 90s, instead relying on a simplified flight model where the spacecraft followed the movement of the mouse.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Dealing with competition from smaller personal computers, IBM’s business model began turning to services and software instead.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
31 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
On the court, this trade is pretty much a teardown event for Memphis, a commitment to a full-on rebuild after the Jackson-Desmond Bane-Ja Morant core couldn’t get past the second round of the playoffs and began backsliding in the standings once Morant’s availability and production declined.—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The sweater over the button-down feels pretty sophisticated, but the short hem adds some fun.—
Kaelin Dodge,
InStyle,
4 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Investigators do not believe Nancy Guthrie left her home willingly and that she was abducted in her sleep early Sunday morning, the Pima County Sheriff's Department told ABC News.—
Jon Haworth,
ABC News,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Volunteers often are needed for low-level jobs that Quimby does willingly, including keeping track of how long a person is taking for a shower, arbitrating the line for use of two bathrooms, and moderating use of washers and driers.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
1 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Some economists suggested last week's rise could be statistical noise, and the total number remains relatively low compared with history.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
-
One is that Venus is relatively large (almost the same size as Earth) for a rocky planet as well as relatively close to the Sun; in terms of the total amount of solar radiation incident on its surface, only Jupiter receives more.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
5 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
The scammer claims to be on an oil rig or in a war zone (but rotating home soon) or is otherwise unreachable in person.—
Abigail Van Buren,
Arkansas Online,
1 Feb. 2026
-
But with the World Cup and Olympics coming soon — events that will require coordination with the feds — the chief has been choosing his words carefully.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
For Rios, the celebration hits home — quite literally — as a Bay Area native.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Firstly, in drone technology, operating tactics and countermeasures, Russia has caught up and is quite possibly ahead.—
Andrew Carey,
CNN Money,
3 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Halftime shows for many years were also fairly boring affairs.—
David Hill,
Rolling Stone,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Despite that shift, conditions should otherwise be fairly consistent with lots of sunshine and overnight lows in the 40s.—
Julia James,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rather. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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