rarely
Americanadverb
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on rare occasions; infrequently; seldom.
I'm rarely late for appointments.
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exceptionally; in an unusual degree.
-
unusually or remarkably well; excellent.
adverb
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hardly ever; seldom
I'm rarely in town these days
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to an unusual degree; exceptionally
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dialect uncommonly well; excellently
he did rarely at market yesterday
Usage
Since rarely means hardly ever , one should not say something rarely ever happens
Etymology
Origin of rarely
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Last June, Naomi Welikala noticed a line curving around the block of her local American Legion, an unassuming building that rarely invited commotion.
From Los Angeles Times
Mueller, who served as a Marine, was something of an enigma even to aides and was rarely spotted on the social circuit.
Ever since a one season spell in the old Second Division in 1977-78, Tottenham have been a top-flight club - and that position has rarely been under threat.
From BBC
Thomas, an expert in fashion and consumer behaviour, said most brides in the study cared about the environment and liked the idea of greener choices, but sustainability rarely shaped their final decision.
From BBC
He rarely went abroad and - reportedly - lived frugally in a compound in central Tehran with his wife, six children and many grandchildren.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
