often

play

adverb of·ten \ ˈȯ-fən , nonstandard ˈȯf-tən \

Definition of often

:many times :frequently

are often puzzled and sometimes annoyed by the ways of other peoples
—W. A. Parker

See often defined for English-language learners

See often defined for kids

Examples of often in a Sentence

They go out to dinner fairly often.
How often do you call your mother?
The condition often returns even after treatment with antibiotics.
I often take a walk during my lunch break.
He travels more often than I do.
The disease is diagnosed most often in children.
They seem to be getting into arguments more and more often.
It's not often that I get to enjoy a day off.
Water the plants often enough to keep the soil moist.

Recent Examples of often from the Web

Even where the policies are generous by U.S. standards, men still often get less.

— jordyn holman, Bloomberg.com, "Estee Lauder Sued for Discriminating Against New Fathers," 30 Aug. 2017
A festival on the banks of the Kankakee River in southern Porter County recently got a boost with state recognition for bringing attention to the history of an area of the county often overshadowed by the Indiana dunes.

— amy lavalley, Post-Tribune, "Aukiki festival garners state recognition," 30 Aug. 2017
And lures that can be cast long distances help reach the fish without spooking them--dense lures like the Rat-L-Trap and Red-Eye Shad, in shad colors, are often a good choice.

— frank sargeant, AL.com, "Find the bait, find the bass," 30 Aug. 2017
Reuters reporters took an exhaustive look at Taser use by U.S. police officers, documenting 1000-plus incidents in which people — often people with mental or physical illnesses, or substance abuse issues — died following a tasing.

— michelle weber, Longreads, "The Subtleties of Electrocution," 30 Aug. 2017
That said, realizing what not to change and having the courage to stay the course is often more important to long term success.

— miamiherald, "The future’s not ours to see, but this is how CEOs prepare for it," 30 Aug. 2017
Mitchell often supports city staff recommendations.

— jim morrill and steve harrison, charlotteobserver, "A packed field is competing for four at-large City Council seats. Here’s your guide.," 30 Aug. 2017
All that rain has been like spreading Miracle-Gro on the state’s deer habitat, and vibrant vegetation means more does and fawns survive the often challenging days of summer.

— todd masson, NOLA.com, "Promising signs for Louisiana's 2017 deer season," 30 Aug. 2017
TIMING Donations often pour in immediately after disaster strikes but peter out during the long recovery process.

— barbara ortutay, The Seattle Times, "How you can help with the disaster in Texas," 30 Aug. 2017

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