seldom

seldom — adverb

1. used to say that something happens very rarely, with long periods between each o

1.adverbC1
Definition

used to say that something happens very rarely, with long periods between each occasion when it does happen

Example

Nia seldom arrives late for class, so her teacher was surprised to see her walk in at nine fifteen.

seldom + main verb: placed before the verb

The winter mornings here are seldom warm enough for an outdoor breakfast.

be + seldom: placed after the verb 'be'

Common collocations
  • seldom see
  • seldom speak
  • seldom happen
  • seldom visit
  • seldom fail to
  • only seldom
Synonyms
  • rarely

    more common in everyday speech; interchangeable with seldom in most contexts

  • hardly ever

    more informal and slightly stronger in meaning

  • infrequently

    more formal and less common; emphasises wide time gaps between events

Antonyms
  • often

    frequent occurrence

  • frequently

    regular occurrence, slightly more formal than often

Grammar Patterns

seldom + main verb

be + seldom

Seldom + auxiliary + subject + verb

Usage Note

When seldom begins a clause, the subject and auxiliary verb swap positions (inversion), as in 'Seldom have we seen…' This pattern is formal and more common in writing than in everyday speech. In informal conversation, 'rarely' or 'hardly ever' are more natural alternatives.

Common Mistakes

I seldom not go to the gym.
I seldom go to the gym.
seldom already carries a negative meaning, so do not add 'not' or 'never' to the same clause.
She goes seldom to the cinema.
She seldom goes to the cinema.
seldom normally comes before the main verb, not at the end of the clause.

seldom — adjective

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

Seldom and its near-synonyms all express low frequency, but they differ in formality, strength, and naturalness. Rarely is the most neutral and versatile choice for everyday use — it works in speech and writing without sounding stiff ('I rarely eat red meat'). Hardly ever is more informal and stronger in meaning, suggesting almost-zero frequency ('She hardly ever leaves the house these days'). Infrequently is formal and somewhat clinical, best suited to reports or academic writing ('The equipment is infrequently serviced'). Scarcely ever is similar to hardly ever but more literary. Seldom itself sits between rarely and infrequently on the formality scale — it is perfectly correct in writing but can feel too formal in casual conversation: most native speakers would say 'I hardly ever see him' rather than 'I seldom see him,' though both are grammatically fine.

rarely ↗hardly everinfrequentlyscarcely ever

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • very seldom
  • only seldom
  • seldom ever

Phrases

  • seldom if ever
  • seldom, if ever
  • more often than seldom

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Seldom traces back to Old English seldan, meaning 'rarely' or 'not often,' which came from Proto-Germanic *selda- (strange, rare). It is related to Old Saxon seldan, Old High German seltan, and Old Norse sjaldan. The adjective use (meaning 'rare, infrequent') emerged in Middle English and has always been far less common than the adverb. The modern spelling settled in the 1500s.