infrequent

adjective

in·​fre·​quent (ˌ)in-ˈfrē-kwənt 

1

: seldom happening or occurring : rare

2

: placed or occurring at wide intervals in space or time

a slope dotted with infrequent pines

infrequent visits

infrequently adverb

Synonyms

• occasional

Choose the Right Synonym for infrequent

infrequent, uncommon, scarce, rare, sporadic mean not common or abundant.

infrequent implies occurrence at wide intervals in space or time.

infrequent family visits

uncommon suggests a frequency below normal expectation.

smallpox is now uncommon in many countries

scarce implies falling short of a standard or required abundance.

jobs were scarce during the Depression

rare suggests extreme scarcity or infrequency and often implies consequent high value.

rare first editions

sporadic implies occurrence in scattered instances or isolated outbursts.

sporadic cases of influenza

Examples of infrequent in a Sentence

We made infrequent stops along the way.

a shut-in who made infrequent trips to the store

Recent Examples on the Web

Deep, infrequent watering that encourages the development of strong root systems is key to effective watering. —Nanette Londeree, Mercury News, 4 Aug. 2025

While certain islands are well connected by ferries or water taxis, like the British Virgin Islands, in many areas, ferries are infrequent, costly, or non-existent. —Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 3 Aug. 2025

Dates, the fruit of date palm trees, are often consumed to alleviate constipation (hard stools and infrequent bowel movements). —Angelica Bottaro, Verywell Health, 18 July 2025

Water the plant at the base rather than over the leaves, and give the rose deep infrequent watering rather than frequent short sessions. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 16 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin infrequent-, infrequens, from in- + frequent-, frequens frequent

First Known Use

1622, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing infrequent

• not infrequent

Rhymes for infrequent

• unfrequent
• frequent
• sequent

Kids Definition

infrequent

adjective

in·​fre·​quent (ˈ)in-ˈfrē-kwənt 

1

: seldom happening or occurring

2

: not placed, made, or done at frequent intervals

made infrequent stops

infrequently adverb