rarely

rarely — adverb

1. happening or done only a very small number of times, so that the event is unusua

1.adverbB1
Definition

happening or done only a very small number of times, so that the event is unusual or surprising when it occurs

Example

Ishaan rarely eats dessert, but he made an exception for the chocolate cake.

collocation: rarely + eats / makes an exception

The museum's oldest exhibition room rarely has more than two visitors at a time.

Common collocations
  • rarely seen
  • rarely happens
  • rarely visit
  • rarely go out
  • rarely speak
  • rarely afford
Synonyms
  • seldom

    More formal and literary; less common in everyday speech but interchangeable in writing.

  • infrequently

    More objective and descriptive, often used in reports or formal contexts.

  • hardly ever

    Informal and emphatic; common in spoken English, with a similar meaning but stronger emotional tone.

Antonyms
  • often

    The most direct opposite; describes something that happens many times.

  • frequently

    Suggests regular or repeated occurrence, directly contrasting with 'rarely'.

  • regularly

    Implies a steady, predictable pattern, opposite of the irregularity suggested by 'rarely'.

Usage Note

Rarely goes before the main verb (I rarely go out) or after the first auxiliary or be-verb (I can rarely afford it; she is rarely late). When placed at the start of a clause for emphasis, the subject and auxiliary verb must be inverted: Rarely have I been so surprised.

Common Mistakes

I visit my cousins rarely.
I rarely visit my cousins.
In standard English, 'rarely' goes before the main verb, not at the end of the sentence.
I rarely can believe what he says.
I can rarely believe what he says.
'Rarely' follows the first auxiliary verb.
She is rarely late, is she?' (tag question with 'rarely')
She is rarely late, isn't she?
Negative adverbs like 'rarely' do not make the sentence grammatically negative for tag questions.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

These four expressions all describe low frequency, but they differ in register and tone. 'Rarely' is the most neutral, common choice for both speech and writing. 'Seldom' carries a more formal, literary, or old-fashioned feel — you might find it in novels or formal speeches, but it sounds stiff in casual conversation. 'Infrequently' is more objective and clinical, often used in reports, academic writing, or technical descriptions where precise measurement matters. 'Hardly ever' is informal and emphatic, adding emotional weight that 'rarely' lacks. For example: 'I rarely eat meat' sounds neutral; 'I hardly ever eat meat' sounds like a strong personal preference; 'Such errors occur only infrequently' sounds like a formal report; 'She seldom leaves the house these days' sounds like a description from a story.

rarely ↗seldom ↗infrequentlyhardly ever

Common collocations

Adverbs

Phrases

  • rarely if ever
  • very rarely

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'rarely' comes from the adjective 'rare', which entered English from Old French 'rare' (meaning scarce or unusual). That French word traces back to Latin 'rarus', which meant thin, loosely spaced, or having gaps between things — a farmer might describe thinly sown seeds as 'rarus'. Over centuries, 'rare' developed the sense of 'uncommon', and adding the adverb suffix '-ly' created 'rarely' to describe events that are widely spaced apart in time.