hardly ever
/ˈhɑːdli ˈɛvər/
almost never
She hardly ever drinks coffee.
She almost never drinks coffee.
informal
almost never; very rarely
He hardly ever goes to the gym.
He goes to the gym very rarely.
They hardly ever argue about politics.
They almost never argue about politics.
Used to emphasize that something happens very infrequently or almost never.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Usage Tip
Use 'hardly ever' to describe actions or events that occur very infrequently.
Gold Rule
Grammar Rule
'Hardly ever' is typically used with the simple present tense.
Word Origin
Combination of 'hardly' (barely, scarcely) and 'ever' (at any time).
Usage Notes
Often used in negative or interrogative sentences to emphasize rarity.
Word Breakdown
hardly
barely, scarcely
adverbever
at any time
adverbEnglish Dictionary