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

Companies with infrequent travel needs—or executives whose trips are concentrated between major airline hubs with flexible schedules—may still find commercial airlines or occasional charter flights to be the most practical and cost-effective choice. — Jill Schildhouse, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

Exhibiting became infrequent along the way, in part because so few spaces could present his work. — Aaron Fagan, Artforum, 11 Aug. 2026

Other higher-than-expected reports included heavy menstrual bleeding, vaginal bleeding between periods, anovulatory cycles (when the ovaries do not produce an egg), infrequent periods, and menstrual disorders. — Laura Bradley, HEALTH, 10 Aug. 2026

Peperomia is low-maintenance, thriving in low light and with infrequent watering. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 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