oftentimes

[ aw-fuhn-tahymz, of-uhn-; awf-tuhn, of- ]

adverb

1. often.

Word History and Origins

Origin of oftentimes¹

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; often, time, -s ¹

Example Sentences

And oftentimes, if something wasn't quite right, we would send them videos.

From BBC

“City and county employees are still hard at work in their office spaces but they’re tired, old, sometimes decrepit and oftentimes no longer up to code in terms of earthquake” safety requirements.

From Los Angeles Times

“Instead of saying, ‘How much do you need to save right now,’ oftentimes we're playing with, ‘How long are you going to have to work?’

From Salon

I feel very lucky, and I feel oftentimes that I don’t deserve it.

From Los Angeles Times

People don’t often think about making it feel comfortable, or oftentimes, especially if you’re renting, you’re putting your decorating into other places.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• again and again
• generally
• intermittently
• many times
• often
• periodically
• regularly
• time and again
• usually

More About Oftentimes

What does oftentimes mean?

Oftentimes is another way of saying often or frequently. It’s used to give an idea of how frequently something happens or is done.

Something that happens occasionally happens sometimes. Something that happens oftentimes happens a lot (though maybe not all the time).

Oftentimes is an adverb, meaning it’s typically used to describe verbs. It’s oftentimes associated with habitual actions.

A less common variant of oftentimes is ofttimes.

Example: He would oftentimes take his dog for a walk in the woods to clear his head.

Where does oftentimes come from?

The first records of the word oftentimes come from the late 1300s. The more common word sometimes is formed in the same way. The suffix -s is used in oftentimes to form an adverb—the same way it’s used in sometimes and always.

Terms like sometimes and oftentimes are used to indicate the relative frequency of an action or occurrence over a period of time. But they’re not definite terms—they depend on what the speaker means. In fact, two different people might use sometimes and oftentimes to indicate about the same level of frequency. Still, oftentimes is typically used to indicate a higher level of frequency than sometimes, as in I sometimes return my library books on time, but I oftentimes forget.

Did you know ... ?

What are some synonyms for oftentimes?

• ofttimes
• often
• frequently
• regularly
• repeatedly

What are some words that share a root or word element with oftentimes? 

 

• often
• oft
• sometimes
• at times
• all the time

What are some words that often get used in discussing oftentimes?

 

• habit
• routine
• repetition

How is oftentimes used in real life?

Oftentimes is less commonly used than often. When it is used, it’s oftentimes associated with habitual actions or recurring events.

Oftentimes I reflect on my Jamaican heritage, the journey of my foreparents, and tears come to my eyes. Sheer pride. Jamaica to the worl'! 🇯🇲

— Nadine White (@Nadine_Writes) September 13, 2020

“Social science research is oftentimes problem-focused…We approach the issues from a very different perspective. Our question is, ‘Given the structural impediments that they face, why do Black people do so well?’”https://t.co/6npzcGhEKU

— Lauren J. Parker, PhD, MPH (@DR_LJParker) September 12, 2020

oftentimes posting on twitter makes me feel like a medieval serf balancing on his head for attention

“look, my lord, look! i am being silly. now can i get a hear ye hear ye”

— nozzy inc. (@schnooozle) August 4, 2020

 

 

Try using oftentimes!

Which of the following words has a meaning that’s closest to oftentimes?

A. usually
B. never
C. always
D. rarely