seldom vs rarely

Both 'seldom' and 'rarely' are adverbs that express infrequency or rarity. They can be used interchangeably in many contexts, but 'seldom' is considered slightly more formal than 'rarely'. The choice between them depends on the desired level of formality in the communication.

Last updated: April 04, 2024 • 246 views

The word 'seldom' is a correct adverb used to express infrequency or rarity. It is slightly more formal than 'rarely'.

"seldom"

It is used to indicate that something happens rarely or infrequently.

Examples:

She seldom goes to the gym.
He seldom eats fast food.
They seldom visit their relatives.
Seldom have I seen such a beautiful sunset.
We seldom have time to relax.

Show examples from the web [+]

These confrontations seldom result in serious violence.
Apologies the demands of a Lanista seldom offer respite.
The girls who cross the pass seldom return.
Logic offers a serenity humans seldom experience.
A force that politicians seldom care to mention.
Tourists seldom come to such distant place.
Henceforth Pan was seldom seen without it.
Moore seldom appeared throughout late 2003 and early 2004.
Unlike most Italian conductors, he seldom conducted opera.
But now children seldom assume their parents' occupation.
Therefore, acupuncture itself seldom makes the condition worse.
We conservatives seldom vote against conciliations.
Calling is seldom the best action.
Man seldom deals with absolute, demonstrative truths.
He had media exposure that third-party candidates seldom receive.
Useful applications seldom use such methods for downloading drivers.
He seldom paused to correct misunderstandings or to resent misrepresentation.
No wonder that tourists seldom leave disappointed.
Earthquakes cause an enormous damage, seldom have long-term consequences.

Alternatives:

rarely
hardly ever
infrequently
scarcely

The word 'rarely' is a correct adverb used to express infrequency or rarity. It is slightly less formal than 'seldom'.

"rarely"

It is used to indicate that something happens rarely or infrequently.

Examples:

She rarely goes to the gym.
He rarely eats fast food.
They rarely visit their relatives.
Rarely have I seen such a beautiful sunset.
We rarely have time to relax.

Show examples from the web [+]

And since money rarely enters the bloodstream...
But binary stars are rarely equally sized.
Since Claudio and Charlotte are rarely home...
My hallucinations were rarely biped and never men.
These days Arthur rarely sees him.
But in life... strict definitions rarely apply.
Mostly to myself, rarely others.
The best businessmen rarely have conflicts.
Warring tribes rarely target outside doctors.
C. canimorsus rarely causes disease symptoms in animals.
The process of normalizing text is rarely straightforward.
Females rarely disperse from their natal burrows.
Like phenytoin, primidone is rarely associated with lymphadenopathy.
Sturge-Weber syndrome rarely affects other body organs.
High-status cover IDs are rarely effective.
Artists are rarely understood in their lifetimes.
Freckles themselves are quite harmless and rarely develop into skin cancer.
For fast-food establishments, tips are rarely given.
Certainty is very unlikely, and rarely safe.
Elevations of ALT occurred rarely and usually resolved upon discontinuation of therapy.

Alternatives:

seldom
hardly ever
infrequently
scarcely

How TextRanch works

Fast and reliable proofreading, editing, and language advice tailored to your needs.

1. Choose Your Service

Quick Text Editing

Emails and short texts
Proofreading & editing
Ready in 5-10 minutes

SUBMIT YOUR TEXT NOW

Document Editing

Documents of any type (*.docx)
Advanced & Premium editing
Ready in as little as 4 hours

UPLOAD YOUR DOCUMENT

Ask an Editor

Personalized answers to your language questions
Expert guidance on grammar, style, and usage
Ready in 24 hours

ASK YOUR QUESTION

Upload your document or paste your text directly into our platform. Your text is reviewed and refined by our expert editors (real people, not machines) who understand the nuances of English. Expect corrections, improvements, and insightful suggestions that enhance the clarity, tone, and professionalism of your writing.

3. Receive Your Polished Text

In just a few minutes (or hours for longer documents), you'll receive your corrected text. Review the changes, make any final adjustments, and confidently share your polished English with the world.
You can count on a personalized, friendly service every time you use TextRanch. We're committed to helping you make a great impression with every word you write.

We proofread and edit these types of texts and documents:

Short texts Business Emails Personal Emails Social media posts Resume and Curriculum Vitae Business documents Sales proposal Research and academic papers Thesis Dissertation Essays Articles Blog posts and much more....

Why choose TextRanch?

Complete Privacy

Your texts are safe and secure with us. We never share your information with third parties.

Affordable Pricing

No subscription fees and rates up to 50% cheaper than other online editing services.

100% Satisfaction

We guarantee that you'll be satisfied with the quality of our service or your money back.

Top Customer Service

Our team is here to help you with any questions you may have. Contact us anytime.

Our Customers Love Us!

We have an average rating of 4.79 stars based on 283125 votes, and

4.9 Excellent - Reviews 2.137

"7 years without any disappointment. Always 100% satisfied. You guys are the best in the world at what you do. Thank you so much :)"

Zubair
from Bangladesh

"I wasn't aware of this service, it's fascinating and more reliable than standard IA tools available on the internet"

Arturo
from Mexico

"In a world of text messages and online communication, this is great to have as a live tool. Thank you."

Selena
from USA

"Wow, it's just so excellent. I never would have believed I could have a sure and excellent English companion. Thanks, TextRanch."

Ifiok
from Nigeria

"This is my first time using TextRanch, and I like how the editors take time to correct my text. To everyone who has never used TextRanch before, I highly recommend trying it."

Wilson
from France

"It is an amazing source of feedback because, as a non-native speaker, I really need to have a reliable helper correct my text."

Susan
from Germany

seldom vs rarely

"seldom"

"rarely"

2. Submit Your Text

3. Receive Your Polished Text