hardly ever

Idioms and Phrases

Also, rarely ever , scarcely ever . Very seldom, almost never, as in This kind of thief is hardly ever caught , or He rarely ever brings up his wartime experiences . The ever in these expressions, first recorded in 1694, serves as an intensifier.

Example Sentences

Dinosaurs are hardly ever found in their entirety, and this one is no exception.

From Los Angeles Times

But on the ground campaigning for reelection, Kiley said that he is focused on issues such as crime and the cost of living and that politics comes up “hardly ever.”

From Los Angeles Times

Possibly citrus, I hardly ever cook without lemon, lime or a sour orange finding its way in there.

From Salon

And while there’s nothing wrong with a director emulating a certain aesthetic, Burton’s well-documented history of hardly ever casting minority actors for his roles makes the "Soul Train" scene sit all the more uncomfortably.

From Salon

He recently said his dream holiday destination was "home", external because he is hardly ever there.

From BBC

Related Words

• a few times
• hardly
• occasionally
• rarely
• scarcely
• sometimes
• sporadically