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Synonyms

hardly ever

Idioms  

  1. Also, rarely ever, scarcely ever. Very seldom, almost never, as in This kind of thief is hardly ever caught, or He rarely ever brings up his wartime experiences. The ever in these expressions, first recorded in 1694, serves as an intensifier.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Hardly ever is it applied when a QB is going to the ground on initial contact by a single defender.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 8, 2018

Hardly ever going out of his position, Boateng saved Germany on several occasions and impressed with his accurate passing - keeping an eye open for his teammates and almost always making the right choices.

From Washington Times • Jun. 12, 2016

Hardly ever do we recognize depression as a sickness.

From New York Times • Dec. 2, 2015

Hardly ever known by his real name, Calvin Cordozar Broadus, and most recently known as the “born again” Rastafarian Snoop Lion, Snoop Dogg boasts some of the most unique business ventures on our list.

From Time • Aug. 24, 2015

Hardly ever is a discovery born in the brain of a single inventor.

From The Forerunners by Rolland, Romain

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.