rarely
/ˈrɛəli/adverb★Intermediate
formalinformal
Not often; infrequently
She rarely eats fast food because she prefers home-cooked meals.
She hardly ever eats fast food because she prefers home-cooked meals.
It rarely snows in this region.
Snowfall is very uncommon in this region.
💡
Used to emphasize that something happens very infrequently.
Collocations
rarely everalmost neverrarely if everalmost never
Synonyms
Antonyms
💡Pro Tip
Usage Tip
'Rarely' is stronger than 'seldom' and weaker than 'never.' Use it to describe something that happens very infrequently but not never.
⚡Gold Rule
Grammar Rule
'Rarely' is an adverb and typically modifies verbs. It is often used with the simple present or simple past tense.
📖Word Origin
From Middle English 'rarely,' from Old French 'rare' (infrequent) + '-ly' (adverbial suffix).
📝Usage Notes
Often used to describe events or actions that happen very infrequently. Can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
Word Breakdown
rare
infrequent
root-ly
adverbial suffix
suffixEnglish Dictionary