seldom
Not very often
Seldom means rarely or not often: I seldom eat breakfast, She seldom complains.
It suggests infrequency without implying never.
The word carries a slightly formal or literary tone compared to alternatives like rarely or hardly ever.
Not often occurring
- infrequentlyNot happening often
- occasionallyAt infrequent intervals
- hardly everAlmost not at all
- scarcelyAlmost not
uncommonly · sporadically · once in a while · not often · few and far between · almost never · intermittently · periodically
Seldom found or seen
- uncommonSeldom occurring or found
- unusualNot often encountered
- scarceIn short supply
- exceptionalNotably above the norm
extraordinary · unprecedented · singular · unique · remarkable · noteworthy · special · distinctive
rarely
Not often occurring
- infrequentlyNot happening often
- occasionallyAt infrequent intervals
- hardly everAlmost not at all
scarcely · uncommonly · sporadically · once in a while · not often · few and far between · almost never · intermittently · periodically · irregularly
rare
Seldom found or seen
exceptional · extraordinary · unprecedented · singular · unique · remarkable · noteworthy · special · distinctive · atypical
oft
Archaic for frequently
erstwhile · hitherto · heretofore · whence · betimes · perchance · forsooth · anon · archaic · formal
- infrequencyrarely, infrequent, infrequently, occasionally, sometimes
- time wordsminute, hour, day, now, soon
- adverbsquickly, slowly, very, really, now
- frequency wordsalways, never, often, sometimes, usually
- polarity wordsany, anybody, anyone, anything, anywhere
- restrictorsonly, just, merely, solely, exclusively