Earlier
Earlier adverb - So as to precede something in order of time.
Rather
Rather adverb - By choice or preference.
Both words in one sentence
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Cerebus Syndrome: Though there are some dark under tones of the earlier chapters, the earlier chapters still managed to be rather humorous and heart warming.
- Lewis, but rather a highly obscure preacher named Mark Hopkins, more than a century earlier.
Source: Older Than They Think / Other - Earlier games in the main series allowed you to do something similar, but by sending your party to physically pick up what they could see rather than pulling the items toward you.
Source: Power-Up Magnet
Cite this Source
Rather and Earlier. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 22, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/earlier/rather
Earlier & Rather. N.p., 2016. Web. 22 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/earlier/rather>.
Rather or Earlier. 2016. Accessed July 22, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/earlier/rather.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "earlier" and "rather" have occurred on timeline