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
Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 20 May 2024
Since Becca was Jewish and therefore preferred to be buried rather than cremated per tradition, Karsh had her corpse wrapped in one of his tech company’s newest products: a shroud made from electronic mesh and sensors that composes a detailed visual map of the body.
—Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for rather than 
Conjunction
If only the creators would have stuck with the quotidian tribulations that best befit Garfield rather than opting for high-stakes stunts that betray him.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 20 May 2024
Since Becca was Jewish and therefore preferred to be buried rather than cremated per tradition, Karsh had her corpse wrapped in one of his tech company’s newest products: a shroud made from electronic mesh and sensors that composes a detailed visual map of the body.
—Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for rather than
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rather than.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near rather than
Cite this Entry
“Rather than.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rather%20than. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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