often

adverb

of·​ten ˈȯf-tən How to pronounce often (audio) ˈȯ-fən How to pronounce often (audio)
Synonyms of often
: many times : frequently
… are often puzzled and sometimes annoyed by the ways of other peoples …—W. A. Parker

Synonyms of often

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of often in a Sentence

They go out to dinner fairly often. How often do you call your mother? The condition often returns even after treatment with antibiotics. I often take a walk during my lunch break. He travels more often than I do. The disease is diagnosed most often in children. They seem to be getting into arguments more and more often. It's not often that I get to enjoy a day off. Water the plants often enough to keep the soil moist.
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.
Show how often the full recipe is followed, not one principle in one unit. — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026 The terms are evolving, and often used interchangeably for health care approaches not typically part of conventional medical care or that originated outside of Western medicine. — Cara Kelly, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026 Adam’s father had had a pacemaker, like a little matchbox under his collarbone, and heart trouble was often genetic. — Helen Simpson, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026 The look often leaned heavily into Tuscan style—a trigger word for those who lived through 2000s decorating trends. — Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for often

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, alteration of oft

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of often was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing often

Rhymes for often

See All Rhymes for often

Browse Nearby Words

oft
often
oftenness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Often.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/often. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All