rather than

6 synonyms for rather than, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Conjunction — Used to introduce the option that is not being chosen, in place of another that is.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

not

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

instead of in preference to as opposed to and not as against

Synonyms by Meaning

1. conjunction

Used to introduce the option that is not being chosen, in place of another that is.

“We took the train rather than fly.”

instead of in preference to as opposed to not

2. preposition

Used before a noun to name what something is not, correcting an assumption.

“The problem is the wiring rather than the switch.”

and not as against instead of

How to use rather than

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

rather than the other way round rather than risk would rather ... than

Neutral, and slightly more formal in writing than instead of. In the phrase would rather, than follows the verb: I'd rather walk than drive.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between rather than and instead of?

They overlap heavily, but instead of takes a noun or -ing form and states a straight substitution, while rather than can also join two full verb phrases and often carries a note of preference or correction. 'He walked instead of driving' and 'he walked rather than drove' both work; only rather than fits 'the fault is mechanical rather than electrical'.

Does the verb after rather than take -ing or the base form?

Both are correct, and the choice follows the first verb. If the main clause has a to-infinitive or bare infinitive, use the base form ('I decided to wait rather than leave'). If rather than opens the sentence or follows a noun, -ing is usual ('Rather than waiting, she left').

Is the verb singular or plural in 'the manager, rather than the players, is to blame'?

Singular. Rather than does not create a compound subject, so the verb agrees with the first noun only — here, the manager.

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