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
These aren’t references for the sake of reference, but rather, a seeming attempt to reckon with the dueling influence of American culture and American politics, with the former helping Gaza’s filmmakers to build their images and identities, and the latter funding weaponry used to destroy them.
—
Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 24 May 2025
The first symptoms that came to a head, so to speak, were rather subtle.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
That the Reds have been able to hover around the .500 mark and still be just 3 1/2 games back of the NL Central crown with so many injuries at various points is rather remarkable.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 13 May 2025
This connection is not a recent branding effort, but rather a storied relationship stretching back decades.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for rather
Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 24 May 2025
The first symptoms that came to a head, so to speak, were rather subtle.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
That the Reds have been able to hover around the .500 mark and still be just 3 1/2 games back of the NL Central crown with so many injuries at various points is rather remarkable.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 13 May 2025
This connection is not a recent branding effort, but rather a storied relationship stretching back decades.
—Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for rather
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rather
Adverb
-
Boats are only allowed beyond those points, preferably to watch from the ocean, by taking a vessel out to nearby Zach’s Bay.—
Karu F. Daniels,
New York Daily News,
23 May 2025
-
Scarpa recommends picking a heat pump with the highest seasonal energy efficiency rating, preferably above 15.—
Khanh T.L. Tran,
USA Today,
20 May 2025
Adverb
-
And the state instead just decided to attack his credibility.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2025
-
Focus your energy instead on compromise and long-term peace with the right people.—
Meghan Rose,
Glamour,
1 June 2025
Adverb
-
The Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is what happens when a tablet decides to be helpful instead of just pretty.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
22 May 2025
-
The dense, hot ball instead contains a stew of precious metals including platinum, ruthenium, and pretty much all of the planet’s gold.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
22 May 2025
Adverb
-
Rethinking Returns on Investment The modern belief that science must deliver measurable economic returns is, historically speaking, a relatively recent development.—
John Drake,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
-
Rival electric car company Xpeng is due Wednesday to release the Max version of its relatively popular Mona M03 car.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
26 May 2025
Adverb
-
In Osceola, officials plan to soon implement FloodWise, a software technology that can predict where flooding will occur at the street level up to three days in advance of an approaching storm.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 June 2025
-
The decline of men and concomitant rise of women in Democratic voting ranks has been observed for decades and is not expected to change drastically soon.—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
1 June 2025
Adverb
-
Looking up height requirements in advance can avoid disappointment for kids who may not be quite tall enough for some rides.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
-
This advantage is quite significant in at least two ways.—
Neil Winton,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
Adverb
-
Other Video Game Adaptations Twisted Metal The number of video game adaptations are fairly limited, and the ones that are actually worth recommending are even fewer.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
26 May 2025
-
Ant bites led to Sundae's viral status How did a fairly normal social media page turn into one that showcased Sundae's massive collection of pants, wigs, uniforms, dresses, earrings and other clothing and accessories?—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
26 May 2025
Adverb
-
Some have said that the dollar’s reserve currency status may be affected, perhaps diminished somewhat – which would have many ramifications, including a rise in the cost to the U.S. for financing its deficits.—
George Calhoun,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
-
The Meta documents suggest its users in the European Union could be somewhat insulated from these changes.—
Shannon Bond,
NPR,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rather. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share