ENGLISH
REFERENCE

rather than

idiom
Meaning

you use this to show that you prefer one thing over another, or to say what did not happen.


Examples
SIMPLE

I prefer tea rather than coffee in the morning.

CONTEXTUAL

We decided to walk to the park rather than take the bus because the weather was so beautiful.

COMPLEX

The committee chose to invest in long-term infrastructure projects rather than focusing on immediate, short-term gains that would not benefit the city in the future.

Last updated April 22, 2026