rarely

adverb

rare·​ly ˈrer-lē How to pronounce rarely (audio)
Synonyms of rarelynext
1
: not often : seldom
2
: with rare skill : excellently
3
: in an extreme or exceptional manner

Synonyms of rarely

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Examples of rarely in a Sentence

She rarely talks about her past. Rarely do we see this kind of weather in our area. Only rarely is surgery necessary to treat this condition.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But scientific progress rarely stays within neat national boxes for long, even when governments would prefer it to. — Ruby Wang, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026 Yet becoming independent rarely means abandoning the parent company’s entire incentive framework. — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2026 The result is another gross undercount for a crime so rarely reported. — Michele Decker, Washington Post, 26 Oct. 2026 More than 20% of Israel's population is Arab, but Arab parties have rarely joined governing coalitions. — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rarely

Word History

First Known Use

1549, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rarely was in 1549

Phrases Containing rarely

Rhymes for rarely

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Browse Nearby Words

rare gas
rarely
rarely/seldom ever
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Cite this Entry

“Rarely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rarely. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

rarely

adverb
rare·​ly ˈra(ə)r-lē How to pronounce rarely (audio)
ˈre(ə)r-
: not often : seldom
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