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
The roles aren't based on age, but rather discipline.
—
Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 11 July 2025
His views on the current state of cinema are rather depressing.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 11 July 2025
Features like real-time rewards, transparent APY breakdowns, and sequencer fee recycling are designed to meet the demands of firms that need more than narratives, but rather need yield, efficiency, and accountability.
—Azeem Khan, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
In the long term, industry leadership may no longer be reserved solely for companies with the most resources but rather for those that excel at connecting diverse innovation forces and facilitating efficient value flow within the innovation ecosystem.
—Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rather
Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 11 July 2025
His views on the current state of cinema are rather depressing.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 11 July 2025
Features like real-time rewards, transparent APY breakdowns, and sequencer fee recycling are designed to meet the demands of firms that need more than narratives, but rather need yield, efficiency, and accountability.
—Azeem Khan, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
In the long term, industry leadership may no longer be reserved solely for companies with the most resources but rather for those that excel at connecting diverse innovation forces and facilitating efficient value flow within the innovation ecosystem.
—Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rather
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rather
Adverb
-
Automate Early Contributions To Maximize Long-Term Growth The most important strategy for saving for children's college funds is to set up an automatic savings plan as soon as possible, preferably when they're born so that funds are automatically deposited into an investment account.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
-
Again, that’s why the film isn’t explicit – teenagers can see it, preferably with their parents.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
6 July 2025
Adverb
-
But the plan got delayed and then scrapped, with the city instead opting to build The Canopy, a gathering space including parking spaces and walking paths set to open in 2027.—
Zoey Thomas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 July 2025
-
These behaviors are not explicitly programmed but instead emerge as a result of the model’s interaction with the reinforcement learning environment.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
7 July 2025
Adverb
-
That’s because of a combination of factors, the chief one being that pretty much everybody everywhere on Earth likes Keanu Reeves.—
Rebecca Keegan,
HollywoodReporter,
9 July 2025
-
Marcus has also had a pretty incredible and skyrocketing arc through this most recent season, being named as one of Food & Wine’s best new chefs in America.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
9 July 2025
Adverb
-
The ultimate fixes are not going to be easy to implement, but are relatively straightforward to identify, starting with leadership that is actually committed to improving things, which is why Swain’s earlier move to institute a receiver in all but name was positive.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
13 July 2025
-
Already, some aldermen are bristling at Johnson’s efforts to even maintain the relatively modest 1% grocery tax that the governor terminated in his 2025 budget.—
A.D. Quig,
Chicago Tribune,
13 July 2025
Adverb
-
Iger Era: 2005-2014 Total points: 17 Bob Iger became Disney CEO in 2005 and soon after announced a $1.1 billion plan to fix Disney California Adventure after a dismal start to the second gate across the esplanade from Disneyland.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
7 July 2025
-
Reynolds said that his niece has cuts and bruises all over her entire body, but should be released from the hospital soon pending blood work.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 July 2025
Adverb
-
Long live Amazon Prime Day 2025 for offering up our favorite candle brands and scents at quite healthy discounts.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
9 July 2025
-
July's full moon will look quite low in the sky after sunset, Space.com says.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
9 July 2025
Adverb
-
Summer league typically follows the same plot — watch a lot of young guys play some fairly mediocre basketball, then overreact accordingly.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
12 July 2025
-
Another legit reason is to treat fairly severe constipation.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
Adverb
-
If the system strengthens into a tropical storm or hurricane, its path would be somewhat unusual.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Austin American Statesman,
15 July 2025
-
China's trading relationship with the U.S. somewhat stabilized in June, after negotiators secured a tariff truce in early May.—
Hugh Cameron,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rather. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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