would rather

VERB

prefer

Synonyms

STRONGEST

adopt choose go for pick promote put select suggest wish

STRONG

advance aggrandize cull desire elect elevate fancy finger incline mark place pose present proposition propound raise tag take tap upgrade

WEAK

be partial to be turned on to fix upon like better opt for optate propone put forward would sooner

Antonyms

STRONGEST

dislike hate refuse reject

STRONG

decrease depress disgrace drop ignore lessen lose lower stop withhold

WEAK

spurn

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It buys prestige, photographs, the roar that drowns out everything the host would rather you not hear.

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026

In separate comments to Fox News, he said he would "rather not" hit Iranian civilian infrastructure like power plants, as previously threatened, "because once you do that, the people suffer".

From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026

But most people, even those with wildly different political views, remembered a man who would rather debate ideas than commit violence against his opponents.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

This sends a message that the company would rather have shareholders fund its ambitious expansion of artificial-intelligence infrastructure than use cash on hand.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 1, 2026

“Oh, sir!—never rain jewels! I don’t like to hear them spoken of. Jewels for Jane Eyre sounds unnatural and strange: I would rather not have them.”

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

would rather

Example Sentences

Related Words