What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
rather
Example
I would rather have pizza than sushi for dinner. [rather: adverb]
Example
The movie was rather boring, I fell asleep halfway through. [rather: adverb]
Example
He said he won the lottery, which I found rather hard to believe. [rather: adverb]
somewhat
Example
I'm somewhat tired after staying up late last night. [somewhat: adverb]
Example
The new restaurant was somewhat similar to the one we went to last week. [somewhat: adverb]
Example
The results were somewhat disappointing, but we can still work with them. [somewhat: adverb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Somewhat is more commonly used in everyday language than rather. Rather is more formal and less commonly used in American English.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between rather and somewhat?
Rather is generally more formal than somewhat, but it can be used in both formal and informal contexts. Somewhat is generally more informal and is used more frequently in everyday language.
