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Hardly ever: meaning, definitions and examples

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hardly ever

[ ˈhɑrdli ˈɛvər ]

Adverb

^{Context #1 | Adverb}

rarely

Almost never; very rarely. Used to emphasize the infrequency of an action or event.

Synonyms

infrequently, rarely, seldom.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
hardly ever	Used to indicate something that almost never happens, emphasizing its rarity to a strong degree. I hardly ever eat fast food He hardly ever calls his family
rarely	Suggesting something happens very seldom, but with a slightly less intense frequency than 'hardly ever.' He rarely goes to the gym They rarely see each other anymore
seldom	A more old-fashioned or formal way to say that something does not happen often. She seldom visits her hometown We seldom eat out these days
infrequently	Implying an action or event happens at irregular or sparse intervals; more formal than 'rarely.' She infrequently checks her email The train arrives infrequently in this rural area

Examples of usage

I hardly ever go to the gym.
She hardly ever eats fast food.
They hardly ever argue.

Translations

Translations of the word "hardly ever" in other languages:

🇵🇹 quase nunca

🇮🇳 मुश्किल से कभी

🇩🇪 kaum jemals

🇮🇩 hampir tidak pernah

🇺🇦 майже ніколи

🇵🇱 prawie nigdy

🇯🇵 めったにない

🇫🇷 presque jamais

🇪🇸 casi nunca

🇹🇷 neredeyse hiç

🇰🇷 거의 절대

🇸🇦 نادراً ما

🇨🇿 téměř nikdy

🇸🇰 skoro nikdy

🇨🇳 几乎不

🇸🇮 skoraj nikoli

🇮🇸 varla nokkurn tíma

🇰🇿 сирек

🇬🇪 ძალიან იშვიათად

🇦🇿 demək olar ki, heç

🇲🇽 casi nunca

Etymology

The phrase 'hardly ever' originated in the late 19th century as an intensification of the word 'hardly,' which means 'almost not.' It is commonly used in modern English to express the idea of something happening very rarely or almost never.