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.
Whether someone opened Excel 10 times a day or sent hundreds of emails through Outlook, the cost rarely changed. — Tiffany Chang, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026 Heat is rarely the sole cause of death, often exacerbating existing health conditions. — Alejandra Borunda, NPR, 2 Sep. 2026 Despite maintaining an active presence on social media, Aguilera rarely shares photos of her children. — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 For starters, this isn’t his first deal with LVMH, which rarely lets go of a brand but sold Donna Karan as well as DKNY to G-III for $650 million in 2016. — Evan Clark, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 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 4 Sep. 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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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