What does "rather" mean?
A choice or a preference.
Rather
/ˈɹɑː.ðə(ɹ)/ adj, adv, intj, name, noun, verb, slang
adj, adv, intj, name, noun, verb, slang ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A choice or a preference.
- Grammar: rather is listed as adj, adv, intj, name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: instead, a bit, a little, a rebours.
- Useful contrasts: absolutely, avoid, completely.
- Usage evidence: Peter was an altruistic video game player; he would give items to people who needed them, rather than selling them for personal profit.
How to use "rather"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "rather" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "rather" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "rather" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "rather" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "rather" is acting as adj, adv, intj, name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "instead" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "rather", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A choice or a preference. dated, informal, uncommon
"If I had my rathers I'd make up my own band. Art Blakey on the skins, Charlie Mingus on the bass, John Coltrane on the sax, Harry Edison on the horn-"
Verb
- 1 To prefer; to prefer to. dialectal, nonstandard
"You'd rather us be dead."
Adjective
- 1 Prior; earlier; former. not-comparable, obsolete
"Now no man dwelleth at the rather town of Damietta."
Adverb
- 1 Used to specify a choice or preference; preferably, in preference to. (Now usually followed by than) not-comparable
"I'd rather not have spent all the money, but it really was an emergency."
- 2 Used to introduce a contradiction; on the contrary. conjunctive, not-comparable
"It wasn't supposed to be popular; rather, it was supposed to get the job done."
- 3 Introducing a qualification or clarification; more precisely. (Now usually preceded by or.) conjunctive, not-comparable
"What the pupil already knew was indeed rather taken for granted than expressed, but it performed the useful function of transcending all textbooks, and supplanting all studies."
- 4 Somewhat, quite; to an unexpected degree. not-comparable
"It's been rather/quite a good meal overall, but this melon is rather too tasteless."
- 5 More quickly. not-comparable, obsolete
"Pompey, being elated and filled with confidence by this victory, made all haste to engage Sertorius himself, and the rather lest Metellus should come in for a share in the honour of the victory."
Adverb
- 1 to some (great or small) extent wordnet
- 2 to a degree (not used with a negative) wordnet
- 3 on the contrary wordnet
- 4 more readily or willingly wordnet
Intj
- 1 An enthusiastic affirmation. England, dated
"Would you like some? –Rather!"
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Peter was an altruistic video game player; he would give items to people who needed them, rather than selling them for personal profit."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "rather"?
Common synonyms include: instead, a bit, a little, a rebours, absolutely, acceptably.
How do you use "rather" in a sentence?
Peter was an altruistic video game player; he would give items to people who needed them, rather than selling them for personal profit.
How do you pronounce "rather"?
Pronounced /ˈɹɑː.ðə(ɹ)/.
Etymology
From Middle English rather, from Old English hraþor, comparative of hraþe (“soon, early, fast”). More at rathe. Cognate with Dutch radder (“faster”), comparative of Dutch rad (“fast; quick”), German Low German radd, ratt (“rashly; quickly; hastily”), German gerade (“even; straight; direct”). By surface analysis, rathe + -er.