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Synonyms

frequently

American  
[free-kwuhnt-lee] / ˈfri kwənt li /

adverb

  1. often; many times; at short intervals.

    Synonyms:
    repeatedly

Synonym Usage

See often.

Etymology

Origin of frequently

First recorded in 1525–35; frequent + -ly


Explanation

If you do something frequently, you do it repeatedly, again and again. If you frequently visit the cookie jar, you might gain some unwanted pounds. Doctors and nurses have to wash their hands frequently, many times each day, since they touch various patients and don't want to spread germs. When you're driving in rush hour traffic, you usually find yourself stopping frequently. Things that occur over and over, especially in a relatively short time frame, happen frequently. The adverb frequently comes from the adjective frequent, which originally meant "profuse or ample," from the Latin root frequentem, "crowded or repeated."

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Vocabulary lists containing frequently

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:

In my work as a family business adviser, I frequently encounter messy squabbles like the one playing out at Brown-Forman, the company that owns Jack Daniel’s and other spirit brands.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026

It frequently plays like a fun house nightmare version of “Our Town.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

It allows researchers to compare how frequently strokes occurred across different periods.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 15, 2026

Disabled Motoring UK and Equal Lives, two Norfolk-based disability charities, previously warned blue badge users frequently face abuse and suspicion from other drivers when parking in disabled bays.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

The Hadamar townspeople were frightened into silence, but as children played, they saw the hospital buses arrive with patients as frequently as twice a day, several times a week.

From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

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