adv

seldom

SEHL-duhm

adv

Not often; rarely.

"She seldom eats out during the week."

"He seldom, if ever, raises his voice."

How to Use Seldom

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishHardly ever; not very often.

When to use it

Slightly more formal or literary than "rarely" or "hardly ever" in everyday speech.

Common pairings

seldom seen seldom used seldom if ever

Word Forms

more seldom comparative, seldomer comparative, more seldom comparative, seldomer comparative, most seldom superlative, seldomest superlative, most seldom superlative, seldomest superlative

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Can you complete this real example?

She _____ eats out during the week.

Etymology

From Old English seldan, "seldom," related to German selten and Dutch zelden.