infrequent

adjective in·fre·quent \ (ˌ)in-ˈfrē-kwənt \

|Updated on: 18 Aug 2018

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Examples: infrequent in a Sentence

Definition of infrequent

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

See infrequent defined for English-language learners

See infrequent defined for kids

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 of infrequent from the Web

For many people, these bouts of excessively loose, watery stools are blessedly infrequent.

— korin miller, SELF, "10 Crohn’s Disease Symptoms, From Diarrhea to Beyond," 13 June 2018
Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, and Prince William all wore the dress as infants too, but eventually even infrequent use proved too much of a hazard for the 163-year-old textile.

— caroline picard, Good Housekeeping, "Why Prince Louis and Prince George Wore a Different Christening Gown Than Prince William," 9 July 2018
Some of the women in the group said their experiences with PERT officers have been very positive, but too infrequent.

— gary warth, sandiegouniontribune.com, "For some parents of mentally ill, Laura's Law falls short," 11 June 2018
So infrequent were his trips home that his 3-year-old daughter once mistook another passenger for her father.

— joseph crespino, WSJ, "‘Deep South Dispatch’ Review: Witness to the Persecution," 10 July 2018
That will help get a handle on infrequent, but significant, leaks that constitute a bulk of methane emissions.

— zack colman, Scientific American, "Gas Industry Grapples with Culpability," 29 June 2018
Not even during my most emotionally vulnerable days, which are not infrequent, would I be moved to tears by this journey.

— kelly conaboy, The Cut, "The Burning Man Guy Episode of Queer Eye Did Not Make Me Cry — at All!," 22 June 2018
There are many kinds and levels of corporal punishment, ranging from infrequent swats on the butt to regular open-handed smacking or striking with belts or paddles, and many contexts in which it might be employed.

— david roberts, Vox, "Please don’t spank your kids," 3 July 2018
Provide light and infrequent feedings with a blossom booster or low nitrogen type of fertilizer.

— tom maccubbin, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Summer heat, rain not kind to geraniums," 30 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'infrequent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of infrequent

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1622

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

infrequent Synonyms

Phrases

few and far between;

Synonym Discussion of 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

INFREQUENT Defined for English Language Learners

infrequent

adjective

Definition of infrequent for English Language Learners

: not happening often : not frequent

INFREQUENT Defined for Kids

infrequent

adjective in·fre·quent \ in-ˈfrē-kwənt \

Definition of infrequent for Students

1 : seldom happening : rare

2 : not placed, made, or done at frequent intervals

The bus made infrequent stops.

—

infrequently

adverb

Learn More about infrequent

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for infrequent Spanish Central: Translation of infrequent Nglish: Translation of infrequent for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of infrequent for Arabic speakers

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infrequent

Definition of infrequent

infrequently

Examples of infrequent in a Sentence

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Origin and Etymology of infrequent

infrequent Synonyms

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INFREQUENT Defined for English Language Learners

infrequent

Definition of infrequent for English Language Learners

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infrequent

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infrequently

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