oftentimes
Americanadverb
Usage
What does oftentimes mean? Oftentimes is another way of saying often or frequently. It’s used to give an idea of how frequently something happens or is done. Something that happens occasionally happens sometimes. Something that happens oftentimes happens a lot (though maybe not all the time). Oftentimes is an adverb, meaning it’s typically used to describe verbs. It’s oftentimes associated with habitual actions. A less common variant of oftentimes is ofttimes. Example: He would oftentimes take his dog for a walk in the woods to clear his head.
Etymology
Origin of oftentimes
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; often, time, -s 1
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.
"It's very frustrating for the physician who oftentimes is compromised in what they're able to do, and it's frustrating for the patients."
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026
“And oftentimes the cancers that they found were cancers that are not routinely screened for such as head and neck cancer and gastric cancers.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026
Lapointe noted that oftentimes recipients of these subpoenas do end up complying out of fear, which DHS appears to be manipulating.
From Slate • Feb. 5, 2026
“I think people and conservative media — and oftentimes even, you know, not conservative media — they paint MacArthur Park as if the sky is falling,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2026
Dr. Webb says that losing a sibling is oftentimes much harder for a person than losing any other member of the family.
From "Where Things Come Back" by John Corey Whaley
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.
