seldom

1 of 2

adverb

sel·​dom ˈsel-dəm How to pronounce seldom (audio)
Synonyms of seldom
: in few instances : rarely, infrequently

seldom

2 of 2

adjective

: rare, infrequent

Synonyms of seldom

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Adverb

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Examples of seldom in a Sentence

Adverb Employers also say that foreign-born workers tend to work harder, be more reliable, and complain less than the natives they can hire at the same wage. This is not surprising. Unskilled immigrants have seldom finished secondary school, but they have overcome all kinds of obstacles both to get here and to stay here. —Christopher Jencks, New York Review of Books, 27 Sept. 2007
"The pervasive theme is rebellion." Laurel Thatcher Ulrich begins her new book, "Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History," struggling to explain—understand—the appeal of an aside she made in the spring 1976 issue of an academic journal, a comment that has become a popular slogan printed on T-shirts and coffee mugs and bumper stickers, usually without her permission and often without attribution. —Kathryn Harrison, New York Times Book Review, 30 Sept. 2007
Kangaroo rats belong to a North American family of rodents well known for living in arid habitats, where they forage almost exclusively for seeds. They seldom have access to drinking water, but instead get most of their moisture from digesting the seeds. —Michael A. Mares, Natural History, November 2003
We seldom go to the movies. This type of turtle seldom grows over four inches in length.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adverb
The better, and the new, are seldom found in the safe harbor of the planning meeting. — Jeff Degraff, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026 Since the first Palestinian intifada, or uprising, began in 1987, human rights organizations have documented how seldom investigations into Israeli soldiers’ killings of Palestinians resulted in prosecution. — Tamir Sorek, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026 Scholars of her work have debated why women seldom take center stage. — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 In the past, mental health and the lingering effects of trauma were seldom discussed among members of the department. — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for seldom

Word History

Etymology

Adverb and Adjective

Middle English, from Old English seldan; akin to Old High German seltan seldom

First Known Use

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of seldom was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing seldom

Browse Nearby Words

seld
seldom
seldomly
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Cite this Entry

“Seldom.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seldom. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

seldom

adverb
sel·​dom
ˈsel-dəm
: not often : rarely
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