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
If your teen would rather utilize a rideshare than get their own license, then the teen should be responsible for paying for it, Damour added.
—
Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2025
Olivia Munn would rather Jeff Bezos not send his fiancée Lauren Sanchez and her celebrity friends to outer space.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2025
The boss of an electric company in Kotzebue, Atkinson would rather be there, on the freezing edge of the Chukchi Sea.
—Michael Copley, NPR, 1 Apr. 2025
The center of the flower comes out for faster water flow, or remove it altogether if your cat would rather drink from a lower, springlike burble.
—Simon Hill, Wired News, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for would rather
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2025
Olivia Munn would rather Jeff Bezos not send his fiancée Lauren Sanchez and her celebrity friends to outer space.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2025
The boss of an electric company in Kotzebue, Atkinson would rather be there, on the freezing edge of the Chukchi Sea.
—Michael Copley, NPR, 1 Apr. 2025
The center of the flower comes out for faster water flow, or remove it altogether if your cat would rather drink from a lower, springlike burble.
—Simon Hill, Wired News, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for would rather
Cite this Entry
“Would rather.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/would%20rather. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share