rather

adverb
UK: /ˈrɑːðər/
US: /ˈræðər/

  1. Used to indicate a preference.

    1. I'd rather have tea, please. [ ] [ ]
    2. She said she'd rather walk than take the bus because it was quicker. [ ] [ ]

  2. To a slight degree; somewhat.

    1. It's rather cold today. [ ] [ ]
    2. The movie was rather long, but I enjoyed it regardless of its length. [ ] [ ]

  3. Used to correct or modify a statement.

    1. He's my friend, or rather, acquaintance. [ ] [ ]
    2. The situation is serious, or rather, critical, requiring immediate attention. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

preferably somewhat instead quite relatively fairly
rather interjection

  1. Used to mean 'yes' to correct something negative that someone has said.

    1. “Are you not coming?” “Rather!” [ ] [ ]
    2. ‘You didn't like it, did you?’ ‘Rather! It was great actually.’ [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "rather" in English means: Used to indicate a preference., To a slight degree; somewhat., Used to correct or modify a statement..

The phonetic transcription of "rather" is /ˈrɑːðər/ in British English and /ˈræðər/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "rather": preferably, somewhat, instead, quite, relatively, fairly.

Example usage of "rather": "I'd rather have tea, please.". More examples on the page.