rarely

adverb

rare·​ly ˈrer-lē 

1

: not often : seldom

2

: with rare skill : excellently

3

: in an extreme or exceptional manner

Synonyms of rarely

• seldom

Examples of rarely in a Sentence

She rarely talks about her past.

Rarely do we see this kind of weather in our area.

Only rarely is surgery necessary to treat this condition.

Recent Examples on the Web

Fraud rarely flourishes because criminals are exceptionally clever. — Sreedhar Potarazu, Baltimore Sun, 19 Aug. 2026

Although strong evidence shows that vaccines are safe, facts alone rarely change minds. — Felice J. Freyer, STAT, 19 Aug. 2026

Mujahid and Barbosa say the 19-year-old had appeared frail, but also rarely appeared at all. — Adi Guajardo, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

Perhaps understandably, the 17-year-old looked short of ideas against a more experienced left-back, and could rarely beat his man. — Sam Lee, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1549, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing rarely

• rarely/seldom ever
• rarely/seldom if ever

Rhymes for rarely

• unfairly
• barely
• fairly
• squarely

Kids Definition

rarely

adverb

rare·​ly ˈra(ə)r-lē 

ˈre(ə)r-

: not often : seldom