regularly

regularly — adverb

1. If you do something regularly, you do it many times — not just once or twice — a

1.adverbA2
Definition

If you do something regularly, you do it many times — not just once or twice — and it is usually part of your normal routine or habit.

Example

Pim regularly brings homemade cake to share with his colleagues at work.

regularly + verb for habitual action

The café regularly introduces new seasonal drinks that customers love to try.

institution as subject + regularly + verb

Common collocations
  • exercise regularly
  • attend regularly
  • visit regularly
  • check regularly
  • meet regularly
  • update regularly
Synonyms
  • often

    Simplest and most common; does not imply a routine or pattern, just high frequency

  • frequently

    Slightly more formal than 'often'; emphasises occurrences close together

  • routinely

    Suggests the action is part of a standard procedure or schedule

  • habitually

    Emphasises a deeply ingrained personal habit, often done without conscious thought

Antonyms
  • rarely

    The direct opposite — means almost never

  • seldom

    More formal than 'rarely'; means not often

  • infrequently

    The negative form of 'frequently'; formal register

Grammar Patterns

regularly + verb

verb + regularly

Usage Note

Can appear before or after the main verb. Pre-verb position ("regularly attends") is more common in formal writing; post-verb position ("attends regularly") is neutral in both speech and writing. Unlike sense 2, this sense does not require the timing to be precisely equal.

Common Mistakes

He visits his parents regularly every year.' (when the intended meaning is 'often').
He visits his parents regularly throughout the year.
'every year' suggests a very long interval that contradicts the idea of high frequency.

2. When something happens or is done regularly, it occurs at times or distances tha

2.adverbB1
Definition

When something happens or is done regularly, it occurs at times or distances that are equal to each other — for example, taking medicine every six hours, or planting trees at two-metre gaps along a path.

Example

The old grandfather clock chimed regularly every hour, day and night.

regularly + every [time interval]

Lan's heart beat regularly again after the doctors fitted a new pacemaker.

regularly with bodily function (heartbeat)

Common collocations
  • beat regularly
  • breathe regularly
  • spaced regularly
  • occur regularly
  • run regularly
  • chime regularly
Synonyms
  • at regular intervals

    More explicit and formal; directly states the spacing

  • periodically

    Suggests roughly equal intervals without strict precision

  • evenly

    Used for physical spacing rather than timing

  • steadily

    Emphasises a consistent, unchanging rate or rhythm

Antonyms
  • irregularly

    The direct opposite — at unequal or unpredictable intervals

  • sporadically

    Happening occasionally but with no set pattern or schedule

Grammar Patterns

regularly + time interval

verb + regularly + [every N time units]

Usage Note

Subject is often a machine, mechanical process, bodily function, or scheduled service. Frequently followed by a specific time or distance interval introduced by 'every' (every hour, every 30 cm). Distinct from sense 1: sense 2 answers 'at what intervals?' while sense 1 answers 'how many times?'.

Common Mistakes

The machine checks the temperature regularly every 10 seconds when running.' (redundant).
The machine checks the temperature at regular 10-second intervals while running.
'regularly' already conveys even spacing; using 'every' with it is acceptable, but 'at regular intervals' sounds more natural when the exact period is given.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

These five adverbs all describe repeated actions, but they carry different nuances. 'Often' is the simplest and most neutral — it tells you the raw frequency is high, without any extra flavour. 'Frequently' is slightly more formal and suggests occurrences that follow each other closely. 'Regularly' adds the idea of a predictable pattern or routine behind the frequency, not just a high count. 'Routinely' goes further, implying the action is part of a standard procedure or cycle, often done automatically. 'Habitually' is the most personal — it describes an ingrained behaviour the person may not even think about. For example: 'She often visits her aunt' is a statement of frequency; 'She regularly visits her aunt on Tuesdays' adds a pattern; 'She routinely visits her aunt after work' makes it sound like a scheduled task; and 'She habitually stops by her aunt's house every Tuesday on her way home' suggests a deeply rooted personal custom.

regularly ↗often ↗frequently ↗routinelyhabitually

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • on a regular basis
  • at regular intervals

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'regularly' is formed from the adjective 'regular' plus the adverb-forming suffix '-ly'. 'Regular' came into English during the 14th century from Old French 'reguler', which came from Latin 'regularis' meaning 'according to rule or guidance'. This Latin adjective was built on 'regula' (a straight stick used for measuring, or a rule), which itself came from the verb 'regere' (to lead straight, to guide, to rule). The sense of doing something 'by rule' gradually expanded into the modern meanings of habitual frequency and even spacing.