ratheradverb
uk/ˈrɑː.ðər/us/ˈræð.ɚ/rather adverb (SMALL AMOUNT)
B1 quite; to a slight degree:
It's rather cold today, isn't it?
That's rather a difficult book - here's an easier one for you.
The train was rather too crowded for a comfortable journey.
She answered the phone rather sleepily.
I rather doubt I'll be able to come to your party.
More examples
- It is a rather grey, colourless city, with few interesting sights or historical monuments.
- His books tend to be rather densely written.
- The company's prospects for the future are rather dim.
- She found the formality of the occasion rather daunting.
- To people who don't know him he probably appears (to be) rather unfriendly.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Some and quite
- bit
- certain
- degree
- faintly
- fairly
- ha'porth
- mite
- moderate
- pretty
- quite
- remotely
- several
- shade
- slightly
- somewhat
- sort
- sort of idiom
- to a/some degree idiom
- touch
- trifle
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rather adverb (MORE EXACTLY)
B2 more accurately; more exactly:
She'll fly to California on Thursday, or rather, she will if she has to.
He's my sister's friend really, rather than mine.
used to express an opposite opinion:
The ending of the war is not a cause for celebration, but rather for regret that it ever happened.
No, I'm not tired. Rather the opposite in fact.
More examples
- I'll be home before 6, or rather, I will unless I get asked to stay late again.
- She's not shy. Rather the opposite.
- She was in a good mood, or rather she was until she heard the bad news.
- They go on holiday to France every year, or rather, they have done for the last ten years.
- He's selling his flat, or rather, he will sell it if he can find a buyer.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Also, extra, and in addition
- added
- additional
- again
- along
- also
- case
- excess
- for good measure idiom
- for luck idiom
- furthermore
- hand
- have sth in hand idiom
- say
- second 1
- the icing on the cake idiom
- thirdly
- to boot idiom
- to cap it all idiom
- to say nothing of ... idiom
- yet
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rather adverb (PREFERENCE)
rather than
More examples
- You can use cocoa powder to make the cake rather than chocolate - it's a bit of a cheat, but nobody notices the difference.
- Helicopters are mainly used for military rather than civil use.
- The matter would be better dealt with in the civil court rather than by an expensive criminal proceeding.
- Most convalescents prefer to be cared for at home rather than in a hospital.
- I prefer photographing people rather than places.
B1 instead of; used especially when you prefer one thing to another:
I think I'd like to stay at home this evening rather than go out.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Replacing and exchanging
- alternate
- alternatively
- bargain sth away
- change over
- change places idiom
- name
- part exchange
- pinch-hit
- pre-empt
- proxy
- rep
- represent
- reserve
- shoe
- sit
- substitution
- succeed
- succession
- supersede
- supplant
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Liking more
Idiom(s)
rather you than me
ratheradverb, predeterminer
uk/ˈrɑː.ðər/us/ˈræð.ɚ/very; to a large degree:
Actually, I did rather well in my exams.
I've got rather a lot of work to do at the moment.
More examples
- He boobed rather badly by getting her name wrong.
- I think my husband is the most handsome man in the world, but I realize my judgment is rather subjective.
- I've had a sort-out in the bedroom - it's looking rather better.
- I heard something rather worrying at work this morning.
- Jane has rather a sharp tongue, I'm afraid.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Linguistics: very & extreme
- abject
- awful
- badly
- beyond
- classic
- classical
- devastating
- drop dead! idiom
- eminently
- esp
- especially
- heartily
- impossibly
- perfect
- sheer
- specially
- supremely
- thoroughly
- whole
- wide
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ratherexclamation
uk/ˌrɑːˈðɜːr/us/ˌræðˈɝː/UK old-fashionedcertainly; yes:
"Do you want to come out for dinner with us this evening?" "Rather!"
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Yes, no & not
- anything
- bet
- betcha
- does a bear/do bears shit in the woods? idiom
- fear
- hear, hear! idiom
- hell
- much
- no dice idiom
- no way idiom
- noes
- not by any manner of means idiom
- not so much sth as sth idiom
- not that idiom
- nothing doing idiom
- perish the thought idiom
- see sb in hell before ... idiom
- think
- yea or nay idiom
- yes
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