frequently

frequently — adverb

1. happening many times, especially at fairly short or regular gaps between events.

1.adverbB1
Definition

happening many times, especially at fairly short or regular gaps between events.

Example

Theo <hw>frequently</hw> visits his grandmother on weekends and helps her in the garden.

frequently + verb in mid-position (before main verb)

<hw>Frequently</hw>, the library stays open until midnight during exam week.

Frequently at start of sentence, followed by comma

Common collocations
  • frequently asked
  • frequently used
  • frequently occur
  • frequently visit
  • frequently change
  • frequently updated
Synonyms
  • often

    the most neutral alternative; slightly less formal and more common in everyday speech

  • regularly

    implies a predictable, fixed pattern with roughly equal intervals

  • repeatedly

    stresses that the same action happens over and over, sometimes with annoyance

  • commonly

    focuses on how widespread or typical something is, not just its rate

Antonyms
  • rarely

    the most common opposite; something that happens very few times

  • seldom

    more formal than 'rarely'; suggests notable infrequency

  • infrequently

    the direct antonym; implies long gaps between occurrences

Grammar Patterns

frequently + verb (mid-position)

Frequently, + clause (front-position)

be + frequently + adjective

Usage Note

Frequently typically sits before the main verb (mid-position) in positive statements. Front-position (sentence-start) adds emphasis. In negatives, it normally comes before the auxiliary: 'She doesn't frequently call.' Avoid placing it between a verb and its direct object.

Common Mistakes

I meet him frequent.
I meet him frequently.
'frequent' is the adjective form; 'frequently' is the adverb.
He goes frequently to the gym.
He frequently goes to the gym.
mid-position (before the main verb) is the most natural place for 'frequently'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

These four adverbs all describe things happening more than once, but they differ in emphasis. 'Often' is the most neutral and widely used — it simply states high frequency without suggesting any pattern. 'Frequently' is very similar but sometimes carries a slight sense of intervals being short or regular, and it sounds a touch more formal. 'Regularly' implies a predictable, planned rhythm: a team that meets every Monday does so regularly. 'Repeatedly' focuses on repetition of the exact same action, often carrying frustration (the child repeatedly clicked the button). 'Commonly' shifts focus from rate to prevalence: something that happens commonly is widespread or typical. For example: 'Leila frequently calls her brother' suggests many calls spread across time. 'Leila calls him regularly' suggests a fixed schedule. 'Leila calls him repeatedly' might sound urgent or annoying.

often ↗regularly ↗repeatedly ↗commonly ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • frequently asked questions (FAQ)
  • frequently occurring issues
  • frequently reported problems

Adverbs

  • very frequently
  • quite frequently
  • less frequently
  • more frequently
  • most frequently

Phrases

  • more frequently than not

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'frequens' meaning 'crowded, numerous, repeated often', via French 'fréquent', combined with the English adverbial suffix '-ly'. The sense of 'happening many times' has been in English use since the 15th century.