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
Nearly half of women (45%) would rather discuss politics, money, or relationships with their mother or grandmother before discussing family health history.
—
Dominique Fluker, Essence, 9 May 2025
The filmmakers would rather focus on the outlandish violence anyway.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025
The strain is so severe that 57% say thet would rather quit their jobs than remain in a toxic workplace, and 42% would prefer to be laid off rather than stay.
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
Just the opposite, the NFL asserts, consumer surveys indicate that nearly 80% of people would rather watch advertisements than pay for content that is currently free.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 7 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for would rather
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Dominique Fluker, Essence, 9 May 2025
The filmmakers would rather focus on the outlandish violence anyway.
—Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2025
The strain is so severe that 57% say thet would rather quit their jobs than remain in a toxic workplace, and 42% would prefer to be laid off rather than stay.
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025
Just the opposite, the NFL asserts, consumer surveys indicate that nearly 80% of people would rather watch advertisements than pay for content that is currently free.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 7 May 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 18 May. 2025.
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