📖 Definitions of "Rather"
- 1
To prefer; to prefer to.
- 1
Prior; earlier; former.
- 1
More quickly; sooner, earlier.
- 2
Used to specify a choice or preference; preferably, in preference to. (Now usually followed by than)
"I'd like this one rather than the other one."
- 3
Used to introduce a contradiction; on the contrary.
"It wasn't supposed to be popular; rather, it was supposed to get the job done."
- 4
Introducing a qualification or clarification; more precisely. (Now usually preceded by or.)
"I didn't want to leave. Or rather I did, just not alone."
- 1
An enthusiastic affirmation.
""Would you like some?" -- "Rather!""
🔄 Synonyms of "Rather"
7 synonyms found via WordNet and Google Books.
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| quitenoun | To the greatest extent or degree; completely, entirely. |
| instead | In the place of something (usually mentioned earlier); as a substitute or alternative. |
| sort of | (informal) Sometimes expressing hesitation, reluctance, etc.: to some extent but not entirely; approximately, in a way, not quite, somewhat. |
| kind of | (idiomatic, colloquial) Slightly; somewhat; sort of. |
| kindanoun | (colloquial) Kind of; somewhat. |
| soonernoun | rather. |
| preferably | In preference; by choice; in a preferable manner. |
💡 Words with a Similar Meaning to "Rather"
Found via reverse dictionary — words that share a conceptual meaning.
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| sooner | rather. |
| preferably | In preference; by choice; in a preferable manner. |
| quite | To the greatest extent or degree; completely, entirely. |
| sort of | (informal) Sometimes expressing hesitation, reluctance, etc.: to some extent but not entirely; approximately, in a way, not quite, somewhat. |
| kindanoun | (colloquial) Kind of; somewhat. |
| kind of | (idiomatic, colloquial) Slightly; somewhat; sort of. |
| instead | In the place of something (usually mentioned earlier); as a substitute or alternative. |
| soon | Within a short time; quickly. |
| than | (now chiefly dialectal or a misspelling) At that time; then. |
| whereas | (obsolete) Where (that). |
| moreover | (conjunctive) In addition to what has been said. |
| however | (conjunctive) Nevertheless; yet, still; in spite of that. |
| meanwhile | During the time that something is happening, often specifically in a different place. |
| previously | (with past-tense constructions) At an earlier time; already. |
| yet | In negative or interrogative use, often with an expectation or potential of something happening in the future. |
| almost | Very close to, but not quite. |
| earlier | previously; before now; sooner |
| more | To a greater degree or extent. |
| before | At an earlier time. |
| alternatively | (conjunctive) Used to link a pair of opposing possibilities. |
⚡ Words Strongly Associated with "Rather"
These words statistically appear in the same text as "rather" (Google Books Ngrams).
🎨 Adjectives for "Rather"
Popular adjectives used to describe this word in books.
🏷️ Nouns for "Rather"
Common nouns this word is used to describe.
📝 Common Phrases with "Rather"
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