Seldom
Seldom means rarely — something that happens, but not very often. A precise and elegant word for infrequency. Learn how to use it in writing and speech with examples and a memory trick.
Simple meaning
Seldom means rarely — something that happens, but not very often. Less than sometimes. More than never.
Detailed meaning
Seldom is a precise word for infrequency. It sits between never and sometimes — something that happens on occasion, but not regularly.
It is slightly more formal and literary than rarely — more at home in careful writing, formal speech, and good storytelling than in quick texts and casual chat.
As an adverb (most common): "She seldom arrives late." As an adjective (less common, but correct): "These are seldom-seen birds."
The word gives writing a calm, measured quality. It does not shout. It simply states, with quiet precision, that something is uncommon.
Where to use it
It works well in:
- Describing habits — "He seldom takes a full lunch break."
- Writing and storytelling — "The village was seldom visited by outsiders."
- Formal reports or speech — "Such opportunities seldom present themselves twice."
Where not to use it
Seldom sounds formal. In quick, casual conversation, rarely or not often usually sounds more natural.
5 example sentences
- She seldom missed a deadline in ten years — which made the one she missed all the more surprising.
- The CEO seldom attended team meetings, so when she did, people knew it mattered.
- This species of bird is seldom seen outside the mountain regions of the north.
- He seldom complained — not because things were easy, but because he knew it helped nothing.
- Seldom has a city changed so completely in so short a time.
Common mistakes
Similar & opposite words
Similar (synonyms)
Opposite (antonyms)
Shade of difference: Rarely and seldom are nearly identical in meaning. Seldom is slightly more literary and formal. Hardly ever is more conversational. Occasionally is actually more frequent than seldom — it means sometimes, whereas seldom means not very often at all.
Memory trick
Summary
Seldom means rarely — something that happens but not very often. It is a calm, precise, slightly formal word that gives writing a measured quality. When you want to say something is uncommon without dramatising it, seldom is exactly right.
Try using seldom in your next piece of writing instead of rarely — notice how it makes the sentence feel a little more deliberate and careful. Small word choices like this shape the tone of everything you write.
Next word — Skeptical. Or, jump to today's kural.