frequent
Americanadjective
-
happening or occurring at short intervals.
to make frequent trips to Tokyo.
-
constant, habitual, or regular.
a frequent guest.
-
located at short distances apart.
frequent towns along the shore.
verb (used with object)
-
frequents,
present (3rd person singular)
-
frequented,
past participle, past
-
frequenting
present participle
adjective
-
recurring at short intervals
-
constant or habitual
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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frequenternoun
-
frequentnessnoun
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frequentableadjective
-
nonfrequentadjective
-
overfrequentadjective
-
unfrequentadjective
-
unfrequentableadjective
-
well-frequentedadjective
-
frequentlyadverb
-
nonfrequentlyadverb
-
overfrequentlyadverb
-
unfrequentlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
frequentsimple
-
frequentssimple
-
have frequentedperfect
-
has frequentedperfect
-
am frequentingprogressive
-
are frequentingprogressive
-
is frequentingprogressive
-
have been frequentingperfect progressive
-
has been frequentingperfect progressive
Past
-
frequentedsimple
-
had frequentedperfect
-
was frequentingprogressive
-
were frequentingprogressive
-
had been frequentingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of frequent
First recorded in 1400–50; (for the adjective) late Middle English: “ample, profuse,” from Latin frequent-, stem of frequēns “crowded, full, repeated”; verb derivative of the adjective
Explanation
Use the adjective frequent to describe something done often and at regular intervals. If your family likes to read, you may be a frequent visitor to the library. You may also have frequent arguments with your family about who gets to read a book first. The adjective form of frequent also means regularly and often encountered. If you live on the windward side of Oahu, Hawaii, you may experience frequent rain showers. As a verb, frequent means to be a regular visitor or to patronize. You can frequent the trails of the National Parks. You may prefer to frequent locally-owned businesses.
Vocabulary lists containing frequent
List 3
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Academic Vocabulary: Core Tier 2 Words, List 2
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Rosetta Stone's Essential Academic Vocabulary: Lesson 3
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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.
See Examples For:
Scalp redness was approximately three times more frequent among GLP-1 users.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026
Hammack prefers smaller, more frequent interest-rate adjustments over larger ones to help businesses prepare.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026
As well as frequent depressive periods, she experienced 'hypomania' episodes, spurts of unusually high energy, activity, or mood that were less severe than full mania.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
The Zaporizhzhia region, located just a few dozen kilometres from the front line, and its capital by the same name have been the target of frequent strikes.
From Barron's ● Oct. 10, 2026
On first seeing the broken ride, I'd assumed it was designed to pause at frequent intervals, allowing those onboard to feel the full effect of their discomfort.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
To be around people and feel a sense of community, she frequents the local gym.
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
The Ocean's Twelve star said she also frequents flea markets and buys artwork while travelling.
From BBC ● Feb. 13, 2026
Hotel rooms in an area of Utah he frequents should be no more than $110.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026
Abraham is a two-hour bus ride from the programs she frequents, and even further from the neighbors she’d grown to rely on.
From Slate ● Oct. 8, 2025
He frequents a discotheque with a $7 entry fee.
From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario
At El Nopal, a regional Mexican chain my family has frequented for years, the opening minutes of dinner follow a familiar choreography.
From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026
Hussle even selected the cover art: a gradient blue photo of the two rappers chilling with friends at the Hollywood Roosevelt, the hotel they frequented during the recording of the album.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
Today, the park is Greenville’s heart and lungs, frequented by joggers, walkers and cyclists.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
A new study published Wednesday in Current Biology found that on Washington state's Olympic Peninsula, vehicle collisions with deer fall by as much as 76 percent in areas highly frequented by mountain lions.
From Barron's ● Aug. 5, 2026
The musings of the tlamatinime occurred in intellectual neighborhoods frequented by philosophers from Brussels to Beijing, but the mix was entirely the Mexicans own.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
When he’s not earmarking time in his perfect Sunday for reading, Oswalt also delights in frequenting Valley small businesses that fully embrace the indie and oddball.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
I got my driver’s license and started frequenting independent coffee shops with exposed brick and pour-overs.
From Salon ● Mar. 31, 2026
As Wong and her team fought back, residents continued frequenting the space, donating their own books, tables and benches.
From BBC ● Mar. 7, 2026
Like most dealership mechanics, he had to buy his own equipment, frequenting “tool trucks” to finance thousands of dollars in gear on payment plans up to $200 a week.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 7, 2026
Arnie Weinstein took to frequenting the townie bars, where he attempted to discuss Marxist theory with hostile countermen.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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.
