rarely

American  

[rair-lee] / ˈrɛər li /

adverb

1. on rare occasions; infrequently; seldom.

   I'm rarely late for appointments.

2. exceptionally; in an unusual degree.

3. unusually or remarkably well; excellent.

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rarely British  

/ ˈrɛəlɪ /

adverb

1. hardly ever; seldom

   I'm rarely in town these days

2. to an unusual degree; exceptionally

3. dialect uncommonly well; excellently

   he did rarely at market yesterday

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Usage

Since rarely means hardly ever , one should not say something rarely ever happens

Etymology

Origin of rarely

First recorded in 1515–25; rare ¹ + -ly

Example Sentences

Max Gumport, a senior analyst at BNP Paribas, echoes that: “Large-scale M&A has rarely worked in the broader consumer packaged goods space,” he wrote in a Tuesday note to investors.

From Barron's

Since then, the 79-year-old Republican has rarely missed an opportunity to discuss the project, frequently meandering in mid-speech on other topics to riff about the architectural details of the proposed facility.

From Barron's

Newspaper reporters rarely have to account for their actions in public, yet this trial saw Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday veterans subjected to detailed cross-examination.

From BBC

Compare that with, say, a refrigerator, which many homeowners replace only after a decade or more, and so they rarely think about the price.

From The Wall Street Journal

They were attracted to the profile of a donor referred to as "Finn" - a Dane who described himself as a fit and healthy person who rarely drank and never smoked.

From BBC

Related Words

• barely
• hardly
• infrequently
• seldom