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
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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
-
This is never mentioned in The Salt Path book, which instead says that Raynor Winn and her husband lost their home after being taken advantage of by a childhood friend of Moth Winn’s.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
7 July 2025
-
At the same time, the Trump administration recently withdrew support for relocating the FBI headquarters to a 61-acre site in Greenbelt, Maryland, instead backing a new location at the Ronald Reagan Building in downtown Washington, D.C., just blocks from the existing J. Edgar Hoover Building.—
Heather Hunter,
The Washington Examiner,
7 July 2025
Adverb
-
Thus, in pretty much every real estate loan of this type, the lender will require that the real estate developer personally guarantee that the lender will be repaid in full on the loan, no matter what happens to ABC LLC and its assets.—
Jay Adkisson,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
-
There is pretty much only one woman with a speaking part in the entire movie, played by Cindy Morgan, previously seen as Lacey Underall in Caddyshack.—
Jordan Hoffman,
EW.com,
9 July 2025
Adverb
-
The Final Frontier With his new simulation, Williams had proved a positive result about the computational power of space: Algorithms that use relatively little space can solve all problems that require a somewhat larger amount of time.—
Ben Brubaker,
Wired 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
-
At the bar, under a modern ceiling work by decorative artist Fanny Chaix Bryan, Printemps will organize events in partnership with Moët Hennessy, such as a cognac tasting scheduled soon.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
7 July 2025
-
At Camp La Junta, torrential rains and catastrophic flooding soon swept through.—
Michelle Krupa,
CNN Money,
7 July 2025
Adverb
-
Automatic pool cleaners can be quite pricey, so Prime Day is a great time to score a deal.—
Clara McMahon,
People.com,
9 July 2025
-
The Champagne Bar is a more casual outpost, although still quite lavish (it’s called the Champagne Bar, after all).—
Elise Taylor,
Vogue,
9 July 2025
Adverb
-
Another legit reason is to treat fairly severe constipation.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
-
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
Adverb
-
Here, Zaentz made a somewhat surprising revelation.—
Ritesh Mehta,
IndieWire,
6 July 2025
-
Welcome to difficult-to-reach Nordkapp (North Cape), a magnificent — albeit somewhat extreme — antidote for travelers looking to escape the summer heat back home while visiting a majestic landmark that has been challenging explorers, royalty and tourists for centuries.—
Dan Fellner,
AZCentral.com,
6 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rather. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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