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Synonyms

seldom

American  
[sel-duhm] / ˈsɛl dəm /

adverb

  1. on only a few occasions; rarely; infrequently; not often.

    We seldom see our old neighbors anymore.

adjective

  1. rare; infrequent.

seldom British  
/ ˈsɛldəm /

adverb

  1. not often; rarely

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • seldomness noun

Etymology

Origin of seldom

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English seldum, variant of seldan; cognate with German selten, Gothic silda-

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A falling stock market has seldom bothered him.

From Barron's

If arrested, they are seldom allowed to return home to their families anymore.

From Salon

As time went by his letters came more seldom.

From Literature

It is clear Guardiola sees the Champions League as the pinnacle - seldom is he more animated than on a big European night.

From BBC

My wife and I seldom dine out, typically only on special occasions such as birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and our wedding anniversary.

From MarketWatch

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.