would rather
idiom
—used to indicate what one wants or prefers to do, have, etc.
She would rather drive than take the train.
I would rather you didn't tell them.
"If you'd rather, we can go outside." "No, thanks—I'd rather not."
Which beach would you rather go to?
Examples of would rather in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The American people demand transparency, but Dr. O'Connor would rather conceal the truth.
—
Mandy Taheri
gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 July 2025
In times of economic uncertainty, some companies would rather cut staff behind the scenes than go through the mess of public layoffs.
—Sho Dewan, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
Contrary to the preferences of hydrangeas, lilac would rather alkaline soil and full sun.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 6 July 2025
According to one source, the players would rather have people who want to be there.
—Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for would rather
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Mandy Taheri
gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 July 2025
In times of economic uncertainty, some companies would rather cut staff behind the scenes than go through the mess of public layoffs.
—Sho Dewan, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
Contrary to the preferences of hydrangeas, lilac would rather alkaline soil and full sun.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 6 July 2025
According to one source, the players would rather have people who want to be there.
—Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for would rather
Cite this Entry
“Would rather.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/would%20rather. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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