rarely

[ rair-lee ]

adverb

1. on rare occasions; infrequently; seldom:

   I'm rarely late for appointments.

2. exceptionally; in an unusual degree.
3. unusually or remarkably well; excellent.

rarely

/ ˈrɛəlɪ /

adverb

1. hardly ever; seldom

   I'm rarely in town these days

2. to an unusual degree; exceptionally
3. dialect.
   uncommonly well; excellently

   he did rarely at market yesterday

Usage

Since rarely means hardly ever , one should not say something rarely ever happens

Word History and Origins

Origin of rarely¹

First recorded in 1515–25; rare ¹ + -ly

Example Sentences

The Kremlin and the White House rarely see eye-to-eye, but for now, both uphold the status quo of the war on drugs.

From Salon

It is being argued in court that these RN officials rarely set foot in the EU parliament and had no role there.

From BBC

Both have family lives that are jeopardized by their work and there’s an uncanny parallel between the two, even though their paths rarely intersect.

From Los Angeles Times

But he so rarely allows himself that.

From Los Angeles Times

The sighting was unusual because the beluga was so tame and they're rarely seen as far south.

From BBC

Related Words

• barely
• hardly
• infrequently
• seldom