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 To his credit, Sherman rather embraced that point on Thursday. —
Kansas City Star, 23 Apr. 2026 Baseball sports betting can be rather frustrating. —David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026 After all, Venus would much rather witty banter and inside jokes than grand declarations of love when transiting Gemini. —Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026 Republican authors of the bill continue to emphasize that the NDA ban isn’t anti-data center, but rather pro-transparency. —Mary Murphy, Twin Cities, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rather
Kansas City Star, 23 Apr. 2026 Baseball sports betting can be rather frustrating. —David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026 After all, Venus would much rather witty banter and inside jokes than grand declarations of love when transiting Gemini. —Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026 Republican authors of the bill continue to emphasize that the NDA ban isn’t anti-data center, but rather pro-transparency. —Mary Murphy, Twin Cities, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rather
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rather
Adverb
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While conversing with fans on X, he was asked for a good story following the Super Bowl LIV win, preferably about coach Andy Reid.— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 14 Apr. 2026
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If the roadside is your only option, pull off as far as possible, preferably past the end of a guard rail, and wait until the storm passes.— Southern California Weather Report, Daily News, 13 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Squatriglia sometimes makes the booking request using a spouse’s bio instead.— Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 11 Apr. 2026
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But the combo turned out to be a bit too loud, Day explained after a practice round early in the week, so the club asked him to tone things down by wearing some khaki pants instead.— Dave Skretta, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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But neutral, white-box viewing spaces (with even, predictable lighting) can be found elsewhere on LACMA’s campus and pretty much anywhere art is shown.— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
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My year is pretty padded out with a bunch of appearances and shows and tours.— McKinley Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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The Timberwolves willingly left Jokic open behind the arc.— Troy Renck, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026
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When asked why some of the most successful people on Earth would willingly subject themselves to the harsh conditions seen in the show’s promos — such as eating snakes or boiling water to avoid illness — Grylls said, for these stars, the appeal is about authenticity.— Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Some muskie anglers are speaking out strongly against FFS because those treasured and relatively rare fish are being caught at rates unheard of until the advent of this new technology.— Mike McFeely, Twin Cities, 24 Apr. 2026
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Depending on the results of NASA’s toilet investigation, future changes to the design could include adding a heater or adjusting the flow of air or water in the venting lines—relatively minor tweaks in the grand scheme of things.— Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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The counter in the market’s far right corner, dubbed Club 104, is reserved for emerging talents, changing every few weeks (sometimes sooner).— Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
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Cost concerns are expected to surface during midterms this fall, and an analysis by the nonprofit PowerLines found residents are not likely to get a break any time soon because new gas and electricity rate hike requests could affect more than 80 million Americans.— CBS News, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Nothing says summer quite like picking the ripe homegrown tomato straight from your garden.— Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Apr. 2026
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After days of whirlwind weather, Chicagoans can expect to see conditions mellow out this week — but April showers aren’t over quite yet.— Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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If Campbell fails, then speculation can fairly begin.— Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 25 Apr. 2026
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The authors stress the need for a robust public domain for information and for IP to be fairly applied alongside the public domain in order to encourage economic growth and innovation.— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/rather. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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