rather
To some degree
Rather expresses preference or degree.
It can mean somewhat: The movie was rather long.
It can mean instead or preferably: I'd rather stay home.
It can correct or clarify: He's not lazy—rather, he's overwhelmed.
British speakers use it as emphatic agreement: Would you like tea? Rather!
The phrase would rather expresses what someone prefers: She'd rather die than apologize.
To a moderate extent
- fairlyModerately or equitably
- quiteTo a notable degree
- moderatelyTo a limited degree
- relativelyIn proportion to another
reasonably · slightly · mildly · tolerably · passably · kind of · sort of · pretty
As a replacement
- soonerEarlier or preferably
- preferablyWith stated preference
- alternativelyBy another choice
- optSelect by preference
choose · favor · druthers · inclined · willingly · option · pick · selection
Contrast introducer
- howeverIntroduces a contrasting point
- althoughConcessive conjunction
- yetStill, or eventually
- converselyIn opposite manner
nevertheless · nonetheless · whereas · while · though · still · on the other hand · alternatively
In truth, not supposedly
- more preciselyWith increased accuracy
- insteadAs a replacement
- on the contraryIntroducing an opposing viewpoint
- strictly speakingIn the narrowest sense
in fact · truthfully · properly · correctly · specifically · precisely · really · indeed
somewhat
To a moderate extent
- fairlyModerately or equitably
- quiteTo a notable degree
- moderatelyTo a limited degree
relatively · reasonably · slightly · mildly · tolerably · passably · kind of · sort of · pretty · adequately
instead
As a replacement
- soonerEarlier or preferably
- preferablyWith stated preference
- alternativelyBy another choice
opt · choose · favor · druthers · inclined · willingly · option · pick · selection · decision
but
Contrast introducer
conversely · nevertheless · nonetheless · whereas · while · though · still · on the other hand · alternatively · notwithstanding
actually
In truth, not supposedly
- more preciselyWith increased accuracy
- insteadAs a replacement
- on the contraryIntroducing an opposing viewpoint
strictly speaking · in fact · truthfully · properly · correctly · specifically · precisely · really · indeed
- preferencespreferences, prefer, likes, like, liking
- adverbsquickly, slowly, very, really, now
- intensifiersvery, really, extremely, absolutely, incredibly
- British Exclamationsblimey, bloody hell, crikey, cor blimey, strewth
- hedginghedging, hedge, hedges, hedge bet, qualifier
- Victorian Exclamationsby Jove, good heavens, good gracious, goodness gracious, bless my soul
ratherreluctantly
With obvious unwillingness
unwillingly · involuntarily · grudgingly · forcibly · begrudgingly
- would ratherExpresses a preference
- rather thanExpressing preference between options
- would you ratherHypothetical preference query
- or ratherSelf-correction phrase
- sooner rather than laterExpressing preference for promptness
- rather not