as in seldom
not often
summer thunderstorms occur only rarely along the Oregon coast
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rarely
In Romania, Tate rarely seemed to face consequences for his actions.
—
Heidi Blake, New Yorker, 8 June 2026
Andrew has rarely been seen in public since a security scare on the estate last month.
—Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 8 June 2026
Cultural change rarely happens all at once.
—Jonathan Grella, Boston Herald, 8 June 2026
Katie Holmes doesn’t usually care about fashion clout, rarely jumping on microtrends that come and go at a moment's notice.
—Ruby McAuliffe, InStyle, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for rarely
Heidi Blake, New Yorker, 8 June 2026
Andrew has rarely been seen in public since a security scare on the estate last month.
—Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 8 June 2026
Cultural change rarely happens all at once.
—Jonathan Grella, Boston Herald, 8 June 2026
Katie Holmes doesn’t usually care about fashion clout, rarely jumping on microtrends that come and go at a moment's notice.
—Ruby McAuliffe, InStyle, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for rarely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rarely
seldom
Adverb
-
Smith seldom goes back to Weatherford.—
Tanya Babbar,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 June 2026
-
Political memoirs are seldom very good.—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rarely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rarely. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
