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.
The bottom line Ignoring medical bills rarely makes the problem go away. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026 Yet senior White House and HHS officials soon soured on O’Neill, who rarely spent any time at the CDC’s Atlanta headquarters and was seen among political appointees as a subpar public communicator, according to people familiar with the matter. — Sarah Owermohle, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2026 Major collections rarely fit neatly into a single auction category. — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 5 Aug. 2026 American coming-of-age comedies rarely beat with such uncomfortable verisimilitude. — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 5 Aug. 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

See All Rhymes for rarely

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 10 Aug. 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

More from Merriam-Webster on rarely

Nglish: Translation of rarely for Spanish Speakers

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