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rather

rather

∞ 1.0
A little more than a bit but not very much
  • adverb
  • /ˈræðər/
: bastante
  • The weather was rather warm for a winter day.
  • rather small
  • rather difficult
  • rather different

Well, it was, you know, my rather brief time in that world.

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Examples

  • In fact, it's rather unique if you've never seen one before.

  • OK, so it's a rather neat fact.

  • So sometimes it's rather hard to hit things.

  • And well, it's getting rather late.

  • - Although, in a funny kind of way, I feel rather sorry for them.

  • So they and the kings were rather limited in their power.

  • In some sense, he seemed to be a rather lonely man, which surprised her.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • People like this tend to be rather awkward.

  • Personally, I thought it was all rather nicely clear and simple.

  • The idea of exclusive loyalty to one religion is rather foreign and incomprehensible to most people.

    Academic text (1999)

Synonyms

a little
vsrather
∞ 1.0

A small amount, not very much

is stronger than this small amount, more than just slight
kind of
vsrather
  • Informal
∞ 1.6

To a small or medium degree

is more definite and less informal about the degree expressed
a bit
vsrather
∞ 1.0

To a small degree or amount

is stronger, meaning more than a mere small change
sort of
vsrather
  • Informal
∞ 2.1

To some degree but not completely

is clearer about being more than a slight amount
kinda
vsrather
  • Informal
∞ 8.5

To a small degree

is the same degree but in more neutral, standard language
slightly
vsrather
880 1.0

A little, not very much

is noticeably stronger than this minimal sense
somewhat
vsrather
811 2.0

To a small degree

is a little stronger than this, more than a small amount
fairly
vsrather
801 1.0

To some degree but not very much

is a bit stronger in degree, more than just moderate
partly
vsrather
322 1.0

To some extent but not completely

focuses on amount or degree not on completeness
something
vsrather
227 1.0

To some degree

is slightly stronger, meaning more than a merely small amount
partially
vsrather
194 2.4

To some degree but not completely

expresses actual degree level, not merely incompleteness
reasonably
vsrather
129 2.2

To a fair degree but not very much

is marginally stronger, expressing more than a merely fair amount
moderately
vsrather
44 2.8

To some degree but not very much

leans slightly higher on the scale than this moderate sense
marginally
vsrather
32 4.1

By a small amount

is much stronger than this minimal or barely present amount

Antonyms

∞ 1.0

To a very small degree

880 1.0

A little, not very much

How Much

extremely
∞ 1.0
considerably
140 3.4
rather
∞ 1.0
fairly
801 1.0
somewhat
811 2.0
slightly
880 1.0

Surface Forms

rather positive

Etymology

The word rather originally showed a comparison like 'more' or 'sooner', and over time it came to mean 'to some extent', so when you say 'It was rather cold' you mean it was 'fairly' cold, not very cold.