A safened herbicidal composition for use in rice comprising a herbicidally effective amount of (a) a compound of formula (I): or an agriculturally acceptable salt or ester thereof and (b) a safener or a compatible herbicide capable of safening such as a chemical from the quinolinyloxyacetate family of chemicals, dicyclonon, daimuron, dimepiperate, fenclorim, furilazole, halosulfuron, isoxadifen-ethyl, mefenpyr-diethyl, naphthalic anhydride (NA), or agriculturally acceptable salts, esters, or mixtures thereof, for use in direct-seeded, water-seeded or transplanted rice.