frequent

1 of 2

verb

frequented; frequenting; frequents

transitive verb

1
: to associate with, be in, or resort to often or habitually
a bar frequented by sports fans
a restaurant frequented by local politicians
2
archaic : to read systematically or habitually
frequentation noun
frequenter noun

frequent

2 of 2

adjective

fre·​quent ˈfrē-kwənt How to pronounce frequent (audio)
1
a
: common, usual
a frequent practice among these people
b
: happening at short intervals : often repeated or occurring
a bus making frequent stops
2
obsolete : full, thronged
3
: acting or returning regularly or often
a frequent visitor
a frequent customer
4
archaic : intimate, familiar
frequentness noun

Examples of frequent in a Sentence

Verb He began frequenting cheap bars. a neighborhood frequented by tourists a restaurant frequented by local politicians Adjective We made frequent trips to town. This bus makes frequent stops. She was a frequent visitor to the museum. He is one of our most frequent customers.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Marsh's Library, St Patrick's Close, Dublin 8 One of the oldest public libraries in Ireland, it was frequented by Jonathan Swift and Bram Stoker and has remained largely unchanged since the 18th century. Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2024 Since then, there have been reports that the ghost of Stanford still frequents the seaside hotel. Brooke Bobb, Vogue, 5 Oct. 2024
Adjective
The over-the-air software updates are frequent and generally faultless, regularly bringing new features (such as enabling the Matrix LED headlights). James Morris, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2024 Even in a country accustomed to frequent outages amid a deepening economic crisis, Friday’s supply collapse was unprecedented in modern times, aside from incidents involving intense hurricanes, like one in 2022. Andrea Rodríguez, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for frequent 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'frequent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Verb

Middle English, ample, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French, crowded, from Latin frequent-, frequens

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1531, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of frequent was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near frequent

Cite this Entry

“Frequent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/frequent. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

frequent

1 of 2 adjective
fre·​quent ˈfrē-kwənt How to pronounce frequent (audio)
1
: happening often
made frequent trips to town
2
: regular entry 1 sense 3b, habitual
a frequent visitor to the museum
frequently adverb
frequentness noun

frequent

2 of 2 verb
fre·​quent frē-ˈkwent How to pronounce frequent (audio)
ˈfrē-kwənt
: to visit, associate with, or go to often
frequents the library
frequenter noun

More from Merriam-Webster on frequent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!