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
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.
Get The Recipe 06 of 12 White Chocolate Martini For those who would rather drink their dessert – this martini was made for you. Krissy Tiglias, Southern Living, 11 Jan. 2025 In the meantime, for Android and iPhone users who would rather send RCS texts from their stock messengers than adopt an over-the-top platform such as Signal or WhatsApp as the U.S. government advises, this will be welcome news. Zak Doffman, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025 But Campbell would rather let the chips fall and give his staff (including a pair of coordinators conducting virtual job interviews this week) a chance to catch their breath while instead focusing on their own situational work. Colton Pouncy, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025 George McCaskey would rather hear angry Bears fans voice their displeasure than listen to fans of visiting teams chanting at Soldier Field. Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for would rather 

Dictionary Entries Near would rather

Cite this Entry

“Would rather.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/would%20rather. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!