often

American  

[aw-fuhn, of-uhn, awf-tuhn, of-] / ˈɔ fən, ˈɒf ən, ˈɔf tən, ˈɒf- /

adverb

1. many times; frequently.

   He visits his parents as often as he can.

   Synonyms:

   customarily, repeatedly

   Antonyms:

   seldom

2. in many cases.

   Synonyms:

   customarily, repeatedly

   Antonyms:

   seldom

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adjective

1. Archaic. frequent.

often British  

/ ˈɒftən, ˈɒfən /

adverb

1. Archaic equivalents: oftentimes.   ofttimes.  frequently or repeatedly; much of the time

2. quite frequently

3. at intervals

4. in more than half the instances

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adjective

1. archaic repeated; frequent

often Idioms  

1. see every now and then (so often); more often than not.

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Pronunciation

Often was pronounced with a t -sound until the 17th century, when a pronunciation without the came to predominate in the speech of the educated, in both North America and Great Britain, and the earlier pronunciation fell into disfavor. Common use of a spelling pronunciation has since restored the for many speakers, and today and [or and ] exist side by side. Although it is still sometimes criticized, often with a is now so widely heard from educated speakers that it has become fully standard once again.

Related Words

Often, frequently, generally, usually refer to experiences that are customary. Often and frequently may be used interchangeably in most cases, but often implies numerous repetitions and, sometimes, regularity of recurrence: We often go there; frequently suggests especially repetition at comparatively short intervals: It happens frequently. Generally refers to place and means universally: It is generally understood. He is generally liked; but it is often used as a colloquial substitute for usually. In this sense, generally, like usually, refers to time, and means in numerous instances. Generally, however, extends in range from the merely numerous to a majority of possible instances; whereas usually means practically always: The train is generally on time. We usually have hot summers.

Other Word Forms

• oftenness noun

Etymology

Origin of often

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English oftin, variant before vowels of ofte ; oft

Explanation

Often means "frequently," like if you see your friends every day, you see each other often. The adverb often can mean "in great quantities," like you often stop by the donut shop, you might be shocked to realize you've been there hundreds of times in the last few years. Often can also mean "in many cases or instances." When a student starts to study more and get more serious about learning, it often leads to better grades.

Example Sentences

These are often people whose student, work or tourist visas have expired, rather than those who have just arrived in the country on small boats or through other illegal routes.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

Leaning on its workhorse Falcon 9 rockets, SpaceX launches more often than its competitors in the U.S. and elsewhere, giving it a dominant position in launch services that no rival has matched.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

The flip side is that Nvidia is now cheaper than it often is.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

Add the “well-documented pattern” of markets often falling 10% or more during the appointment of a new Fed chair, “and 2026 is delivering both events in a single year,” they noted.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

His letters did not come as often as mine went singing to him, but I put this down to his work.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

• generally
• much
• regularly
• repeatedly
• usually