1
—used with the infinitive form of a verb to indicate negation as a contrary choice or wish
rather than continue the argument, he walked away
chose to sing rather than play violin
2
: and not
obscures rather than resolves the problem
why do one thing rather than another?
happy rather than sad
: instead of
rather than being pleased, she was angry
Examples of rather than in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 20 May 2026
The AIs weren’t being asked to design entirely new molecules, and most drugs fail during the animal and clinical trials phase, rather than during testing in cell culture.
—ArsTechnica, 19 May 2026
Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
Green rarely strayed more than a few feet from the Clippers superstar, fighting through screens rather than conceding a switch.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
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Conjunction
The Office alum has spoken publicly in recent years about focusing on health and fitness rather than appearance.
—Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 20 May 2026
The AIs weren’t being asked to design entirely new molecules, and most drugs fail during the animal and clinical trials phase, rather than during testing in cell culture.
—ArsTechnica, 19 May 2026
Preposition
The goal, according to German tabloid Bild—which broke the story over the weekend—is to nudge workers with minor ailments, like a cold, back into the office rather than reaching for the phone.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
Green rarely strayed more than a few feet from the Clippers superstar, fighting through screens rather than conceding a switch.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rather than
Cite this Entry
“Rather than.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rather%20than. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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