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 of infrequent

• 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

Diverse characters made infrequent appearances, their storylines often tied to hardship rather than joy. — Sacbee.com, 22 Sep. 2026

Clearing the uncertainty Neutron capture reactions are difficult to measure directly because recreating stellar conditions in the laboratory is hard; the reactions are infrequent, and the nuclei involved are short-lived. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026

Across two million cancellation surveys analyzed by Churnkey, budget accounted for about a third of cancellations and infrequent use for just under another third. — George Kapernaros, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2026

Allen’s sister, Jody, had operated the team since Paul died in 2018, and both were known for their laissez-faire approach and infrequent public appearances. — Andrew Destin, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

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