seldom

1 of 2

adverb

sel·​dom ˈsel-dəm 

: in few instances : rarely, infrequently

seldom

2 of 2

adjective

: rare, infrequent

Synonyms of seldom

Adverb

• rarely

Examples of seldom in a Sentence

Adverb

Employers also say that foreign-born workers tend to work harder, be more reliable, and complain less than the natives they can hire at the same wage. This is not surprising. Unskilled immigrants have seldom finished secondary school, but they have overcome all kinds of obstacles both to get here and to stay here. —Christopher Jencks, New York Review of Books, 27 Sept. 2007

"The pervasive theme is rebellion." Laurel Thatcher Ulrich begins her new book, "Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History," struggling to explain—understand—the appeal of an aside she made in the spring 1976 issue of an academic journal, a comment that has become a popular slogan printed on T-shirts and coffee mugs and bumper stickers, usually without her permission and often without attribution. —Kathryn Harrison, New York Times Book Review, 30 Sept. 2007

Kangaroo rats belong to a North American family of rodents well known for living in arid habitats, where they forage almost exclusively for seeds. They seldom have access to drinking water, but instead get most of their moisture from digesting the seeds. —Michael A. Mares, Natural History, November 2003

We seldom go to the movies.

This type of turtle seldom grows over four inches in length.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

There’s seldom a season when a play by Ken Ludwig, one of the most popular living American playwrights, can’t be found on a Connecticut stage. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 6 Sep. 2026

Legal risks and long peer-review cycles are typically cited as reasons that fast-moving tech companies seldom share data or engage in peer review. — Matthew Sun, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2026

In addition, Russini’s work was seldom reliant on Vrabel as a source or subject. — Mike Semel, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Tedeschi Trucks Band seldom goes a calendar year between visits. — Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adverb and Adjective

Middle English, from Old English seldan; akin to Old High German seltan seldom

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing seldom

• rarely/seldom ever
• rarely/seldom if ever

Kids Definition

seldom

adverb

sel·​dom

ˈsel-dəm

: not often : rarely