would rather

idiom

—used to indicate what one wants or prefers to do, have, etc.

She would rather drive than take the train.

I would rather you didn't tell them.

"If you'd rather, we can go outside." "No, thanks—I'd rather not."

Which beach would you rather go to?

Examples of would rather in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There are those who love the process of tending to a garden, and those who would rather spend most of their free time simply enjoying their garden. —Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 6 Feb. 2026

Some diners would rather eat later but believe restaurants get noisier as the evening goes on, preventing them from hearing their tablemates and communicating with wait staff. —Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 4 Feb. 2026

The state, however, would rather people forget the past. —Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026

College coaches would rather fill holes on their rosters with 22- and 23-year-old players with years of maturity and experience over developing incoming freshman. —Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2026

Rhymes for would rather

• gather
• lather