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Synonym Chooser

How is the word rare different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of rare are choice, dainty, delicate, elegant, and exquisite. While all these words mean "having qualities that appeal to a cultivated taste," rare suggests an uncommon excellence.

rare beauty

In what contexts can choice take the place of rare?

In some situations, the words choice and rare are roughly equivalent. However, choice stresses preeminence in quality or kind.

choice fabric

When is it sensible to use dainty instead of rare?

The meanings of dainty and rare largely overlap; however, dainty sometimes carries an additional suggestion of smallness and of appeal to the eye or palate.

dainty sandwiches

When could delicate be used to replace rare?

Although the words delicate and rare have much in common, delicate implies exquisiteness, subtlety, and fragility.

delicate craftsmanship

When can elegant be used instead of rare?

The words elegant and rare can be used in similar contexts, but elegant applies to what is rich and luxurious but restrained by good taste.

a sumptuous but elegant dining room

When might exquisite be a better fit than rare?

The words exquisite and rare are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, exquisite implies a perfection in workmanship or design that appeals only to very sensitive taste.

an exquisite gold bracelet

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rare Osprey is offering a rare deal on a travel backpack that’ll hold all of your in-flight essentials. Rylee Johnston, Travel + Leisure, 21 May 2025 This rare, hands-on recording museum highlights the sonic legacy of guitar god Les Paul. Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025 The bill, introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, passed with unanimous consent – a rare occurrence for substantive legislation. Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 21 May 2025 Sensor stabilization, which is frequently included in mirrorless cameras but rare in DSLRs, is a useful feature for handheld recording. PC Magazine, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for rare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rare
Adjective
  • But the boys also casually tell stories about the deprivations of their previous life, a reminder of how unusual their childhoods have been by American standards.
    Sacha Pfeiffer, NPR, 27 May 2025
  • Listen to this article The Rent Guidelines Board lowered the range of potential rent increases for some 2 million New Yorkers in an unusual redo vote Tuesday — a move that comes as the issue of freezing rents has taken center stage in the contentious mayoral race.
    Téa Kvetenadze, New York Daily News, 27 May 2025
Adjective
  • The Cannes Film Festival is also where these categories flourish in visibility, especially the high jewelry, which has used the high-profile event to promote their exquisite and expensive creations on the Red Carpet.
    Roxanne Robinson, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
  • And Diane de Poitiers, reputed to be the most beautiful woman in 16th-century France, drank gold to preserve her exquisite looks, the Botox of the Renaissance.
    Sean Kingsley, HollywoodReporter, 24 May 2025
Adjective
  • Others that have a small selling history and only a handful of items for sale at a time tend to be occasional sellers and wardrobe clearers.
    Benjamin Voyer, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
  • The audience is present in a politely distant but receptive way with shots from the back of their heads and an occasional darkened full-theater shot.
    Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 23 May 2025
Adjective
  • Acqui-hires are not uncommon in a competitive tech hiring environment.
    Geri Stengel, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
  • This is why Daigneault refers to the Thunder as an uncommon group.
    Tony Jones, New York Times, 29 May 2025
Adjective
  • The show will feature a wide range of extraordinary cars, trucks, and vehicles along with live music.
    Linda Mcintosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 May 2025
  • The film chronicles the extraordinary story of a group of inmates who defied the odds to create a timeless piece of art.
    DeMicia Inman, VIBE.com, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • Old Midleton Distillery, with its elegant stone facade, was originally a woolen mill in the late 18th century.
    Brad Japhe, Forbes.com, 25 May 2025
  • Along the historic waterway system which dates from the 12th century, there are a series of patrician residences, pleasure villas, and elegant rural farmhouses that still stand, along with what remains of their parks and gardens, side-by-side with more recent houses.
    Elena Dallorso, Architectural Digest, 24 May 2025
Adjective
  • His translation recognizes, here and throughout, that the original is funny and compelling enough not to need elaborate explanation, even 60 years after its debut.
    Lily Meyer, The Dial, 20 May 2025
  • That’s not to say the film isn’t funny or sweet, but that there is something much more profound and uncomfortable at its heart, and one that poses a tricky challenge for first-time filmmakers Johansson and Kamen.
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 20 May 2025
Adjective
  • The companies that invest in neurodiversity today are unlocking game-changing innovation, future-proofing their organizations and setting a new standard for what an exceptional workplace looks like.
    Ben Semmes, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
  • To win the event, Scheffler compensated with his exceptional iron play (1.189 strokes gained approaching the green) and his skills around the green (1.208 strokes gained).
    Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rare. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

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