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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Recent Examples of rather
But the data shows neither problem can be blamed solely on immigration, but rather years of economic stagnation and government mismanagement.
—
Kate Bartlett,
NPR,
25 June 2026
Quartz doesn’t rhyme with parts, but rather shorts.
—
Literary Hub,
25 June 2026
The organization said the parties were not meant to make money, but rather to give the community a downtown spot to watch matches.
—
Sofi Zeman
june 25,
Kansas City Star,
25 June 2026
The hard part is not building a record-setting sensor in a quiet lab, but rather making a device that works on a noisy bridge, near traffic, weather, steel and electrical interference.
—
Alex Krasnok,
Scientific American,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for rather
Kate Bartlett,
NPR,
25 June 2026
Quartz doesn’t rhyme with parts, but rather shorts.
—
Literary Hub,
25 June 2026
The organization said the parties were not meant to make money, but rather to give the community a downtown spot to watch matches.
—
Sofi Zeman
june 25,
Kansas City Star,
25 June 2026
The hard part is not building a record-setting sensor in a quiet lab, but rather making a device that works on a noisy bridge, near traffic, weather, steel and electrical interference.
—
Alex Krasnok,
Scientific American,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for rather
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rather
Adverb
-
Move the person into a shaded, cool area, remove their outer clothing and work to cool them down as quickly as possible, preferably with cold water or an ice bath.
-
If the Pacers could add a wing shot creator – preferably a scorer – who can play small forward, that would be a boon for the second unit.
Adverb
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District officials declined to provide the correspondence with Carvalho, instead assigning the request to the district’s Public Records Act unit, where some requests for records have taken years to resolve.
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However, scientists and officials said no seeding occurred during the storm, and pointed instead to natural weather systems and climate change.
Adverb
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Not to be like, mean, but just speaking pretty objectively here.
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Some of those old sites may be updated with NDS’s signature flair, but the ones that don’t look as pretty remain the primary resource for Americans seeking government information or assistance online.
Adverb
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If CosRx can convince people to willingly slather snail mucin on their faces, trusting the brand with hair care is a pretty easy next step.
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The idea of willingly spending some indeterminate amount of time feeling bad is unthinkable.
Adverb
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By contrast, retirees enjoy a financial edge in such states as Minnesota, Utah and Colorado, where residents enjoy high retirement income and expenses that are relatively manageable.
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India is seen as a laggard in the global AI race, but having the world’s second-largest workforce and relatively low labor costs has led to a boom in companies collecting data to train robots.
Adverb
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Authorities confirmed soon after her disappearance that DNA tests showed that blood found on Nancy Guthrie's front porch came from her.
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Paterson could be a temporary replacement and will soon be back to his Monday-night gig at the Green Mill Cocktail Lounge.
Adverb
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He's played with some incredible guards and centers throughout his 10-year career, but none quite like Maxey, Edgecombe and Embiid.
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Princess Diana has long been the subject of exhibitions—but maybe never one quite like this.
Adverb
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Douglas said automatic gratuities also serve a practical purpose for larger parties, helping to ensure servers are fairly compensated for the additional coordination and service those tables require.
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Still, box office held fairly steady in the June heat, with total receipts of $36,698,946 down just 6% from the previous week and 7% from this time last season.
Cite this Entry
“Rather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rather. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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