adv

rarely

RAIR-lee

adv

Not often; seldom.

"She rarely eats meat."

"We rarely see snow here."

How to Use Rarely

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishAlmost never — the opposite of "often."

Easily confused with

barely → scarcely →

rarelier comparative, more rarely comparative, rareliest superlative, most rarely superlative

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Can you complete this real example?

She _____ eats meat.

barely hardly infrequently once in a while seldom sporadically scarcely seldomly uncommonly unoften

frequently usually often

once just rare usually often generally completely hardly

Ely rely Neely comely lonely timely lovely homely widely lively lately barely

barely hardly infrequently once in a while seldom sporadically scarcely seldomly uncommonly unoften frequently usually