rather

adverb

ˈra-t͟hər How to pronounce rather (audio)
Definition of rathernext
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. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rather Roberts said their conversation wasn’t about benching the Japanese superstar, but rather offering him time off similar to Freddie Freeman during the postseason in 2024. — ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026 For anyone who’d rather spend downtime learning than scrolling, one payment covers it for good. — Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 13 Oct. 2026 This is a sign that Icotyde isn't cannibalizing the market, but rather expanding it. — Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026 Or rather, the wild 205 T16 Group B rally homologation special that the 205 GTi gave birth to, a car that won the world Rally Championships in 1985–86. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rather
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rather
  1. preferably
  2. instead
  3. pretty
  4. willingly
  5. relatively
  6. soon
  7. quite
  8. fairly
Adverb
  • The present ideal isn’t perfection, but a kind of rule-breaking individualism, preferably with an IYKYK spin.
    — Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Pneumonic plague is treated with powerful antibiotics, preferably within 24 hours of the first symptoms, the Cleveland Clinic said.
    — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of preferably
Adverb
  • The coaches, administrators, staff and athletes will have no affiliation with our colleges and universities but instead will be employed by their respective professional leagues.
    — Bruce Svare, Sportico.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The Singapore Shipping Association also played down the prospect of a broad withdrawal of commercial shipping from the region, suggesting operators would instead adapt to changing trade conditions.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of instead
Adverb
  • My first experiments with my at-home cream top were pretty simple.
    — Elizabeth Lopatto, The Verge, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Watching a sports car drive upside down and then launch itself into the air was pretty incredible.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of pretty
Adverb
  • The film’s central question, as Coon sees it, is why someone might willingly abandon a conventional life for an alternative community.
    — Katherine Brodsky, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
  • For some activists, willingly accepting arrest becomes another visible demonstration of commitment.
    — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of willingly
Adverb
  • The economics depend on utilization A robot’s hourly cost is relatively simple to calculate.
    — Navin Chaddha, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
  • For most of my career, the obvious intersections between business and politics were relatively easy to identify.
    — Amanda Simonian, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of relatively
Adverb
  • Some announcements could come sooner, given the massive amount of organization and fundraising involved in mounting presidential campaigns.
    — Praveena Somasundaram, Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Porter’s prediction needs several of them to take steps forward together, and soon.
    — C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of soon
Adverb
  • The press release probably didn’t need to also say the company imbued it with distinctive character or charm; that’s quite obvious from the design.
    — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Nothing, however, has lived on quite like his appreciation for the mundane.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of quite
Adverb
  • Colonial and Cape Cod-style clapboard homes, with shutters and dormer windows, sit fairly close together.
    — Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 13 Oct. 2026
  • When the semis fall like this, according to Cramer, the drop usually lasts fairly long.
    — Jason Gewirtz, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of fairly

Browse Nearby Words

rat finks
rather
ratification
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rather. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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