as in seldom
not often
summer thunderstorms occur only rarely along the Oregon coast
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rarely
Some of these eye-popping rocks are so massive and expensive, they're rarely seen in public—but their owners serve up a rare glimpse now and then to remind the world that diamonds really are a girl’s best friend.
—
Freya Drohan,
InStyle,
30 June 2026
And in my experience, surveillance-friendly policies and tech systems, once in place, rarely go away.
—
Anne Toomey McKenna,
The Conversation,
30 June 2026
The regulars were middle-aged men who routinely drank five or six cocktails after work and were only rarely sloppy.
—
Meghan O’Gieblyn,
Harpers Magazine,
30 June 2026
In other words, a stretch during which meaningful change is possible but rarely dramatic.
—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for rarely
Freya Drohan,
InStyle,
30 June 2026
And in my experience, surveillance-friendly policies and tech systems, once in place, rarely go away.
—
Anne Toomey McKenna,
The Conversation,
30 June 2026
The regulars were middle-aged men who routinely drank five or six cocktails after work and were only rarely sloppy.
—
Meghan O’Gieblyn,
Harpers Magazine,
30 June 2026
In other words, a stretch during which meaningful change is possible but rarely dramatic.
—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for rarely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rarely
seldom
Adverb
-
For the cover of the July 6 & 13, 2026, Body Issue, the cartoonist Edward Steed drew a foot, a body part that seldom gets our full attention.
-
In fact, birds tend to fly within the height of the tree canopy that seldom reaches above 100 feet.
Cite this Entry
“Rarely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rarely. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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