frequent

1 of 3

verb

fre·​quent frē-ˈkwent  ˈfrē-kwənt 

frequented; frequenting; frequents

transitive verb

1

: to associate with, be in, or resort to often or habitually

a bar frequented by sports fans

a restaurant frequented by local politicians

2

archaic : to read systematically or habitually

frequentation

ˌfrē-ˌkwen-ˈtā-shən 

-kwən-

noun

frequenter noun

frequent

2 of 3

adjective

fre·​quent ˈfrē-kwənt 

1

a

: common, usual

a frequent practice among these people

b

: happening at short intervals : often repeated or occurring

a bus making frequent stops

2

obsolete : full, thronged

3

: acting or returning regularly or often

a frequent visitor

a frequent customer

4

archaic : intimate, familiar

frequentness noun

frequentation

3 of 3

noun

fre·​quen·​ta·​tion ˌfrēkˌwenˈtāshən 

-wən-

plural -s

1

a

: the act, habit, or an instance of frequenting or visiting often

my frequentation of the late major all the time he has been living here

—Glenway Wescott

his frequentations among the scum … were … distinctly insalubrious

—Augustus John

b

: systematic or habitual reading

only the frequentation of the old masters enables us to judge the new

—Meyer Schapiro

one whose mind is trained by the frequentation of newspaper columns

—Pier-Maria Pasinetti

2

archaic : frequent use, practice, or celebration

Synonyms of frequent

Verb

• haunt
• visit

Adjective

• regular
• periodic
• repeated
• steady
• constant
• periodical
• continual

Examples of frequent in a Sentence

Verb

He began frequenting cheap bars.

a neighborhood frequented by tourists

a restaurant frequented by local politicians

Adjective

We made frequent trips to town.

This bus makes frequent stops.

She was a frequent visitor to the museum.

He is one of our most frequent customers.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Several whales frequenting San Francisco Bay are expected to depart in the next two weeks. —Tim Fang, CBS News, 11 June 2026

Joseph Brewster turned the house into a tavern and store during the War for Independence when it was frequented by British soldiers stationed in the area. —Catherine Sabino, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026

Adjective

The White House said swelling around the ankles was due to chronic venous insufficiency or CVI, which occurs when leg veins fail to send blood back to the heart properly, and the bruising on the back of his hand was caused by frequent handshaking and aspirin. —Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 12 June 2026

Here’s what crew members and frequent flyers want passengers to know about navigating bathrooms on airplanes without getting stuck in a line, blocking service or running afoul of the seat belt sign. —Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 12 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Verb

Middle English, ample, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French, crowded, from Latin frequent-, frequens

Noun

Middle English frequentacioun frequent gathering, from Late Latin frequentation-, frequentatio, from Latin, action of crowding or packing together, from frequentatus (past participle of frequentare to frequent, crowd) + -ion-, -io -ion

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1531, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing frequent

• frequent-flier
• frequent-flyer

Rhymes for frequent

• sequent
• infrequent
• unfrequent

Kids Definition

frequent

1 of 2 adjective

fre·​quent ˈfrē-kwənt 

1

: happening often

made frequent trips to town

2

: regular entry 1 sense 3b, habitual

a frequent visitor to the museum

frequently adverb

frequentness noun

frequent

2 of 2 verb

fre·​quent frē-ˈkwent 

ˈfrē-kwənt

: to visit, associate with, or go to often

frequents the library

frequenter noun