rarely
/ˈreəli/adverb
उच्चारण रेअली
शायद ही कभी, बहुत कम, कभी-कभार
Basic wordPYP · asked 8 times
Asked in previous papers
as antonym
+3 more
SSC MTS 2025SSC Exams 2018SSC Exams before 2018- 1
not very often
शायद ही कभी, बहुत कम, कभी-कभार
- She rarely misses a class.
- It rarely rains here in December.
- Rarely have I seen such a crowd.
+ 4 more examples
- My father rarely watches television in the evening.
- Snow rarely falls in this part of the country.
- He rarely speaks in class but always writes well.
- Rarely does the train arrive on time during the monsoon.
Synonyms seldom hardly ever infrequently
Opposite often frequently usually
§Structures (grammar patterns) 5
rarely + main verb
'Rarely' goes before the main verb, after 'be' and after the first auxiliary: She rarely eats out.
'Rarely' मुख्य क्रिया से पहले और 'be' या पहली सहायक क्रिया के बाद आता है।
- She rarely eats out.
- He is rarely late.
rarely (negative) + positive verb
'Rarely' already has a negative sense, so the verb must be positive: He rarely does not come is wrong.
'Rarely' में नकारात्मक भाव है, इसलिए क्रिया सकारात्मक रहती है।
- They rarely go out after dark.
- I rarely see him now.
Rarely + inversion (formal)
At the start of a sentence for emphasis, 'rarely' is followed by inverted word order: Rarely does she complain.
वाक्य के आरंभ में ज़ोर देने के लिए 'rarely' के बाद inversion आता है।
- Rarely has the team played so well.
- Rarely do we see such courage.
rarely vs seldom vs hardly ever
All three mean not often. 'Seldom' is more formal. 'Hardly ever' is common in speech.
तीनों का अर्थ कभी-कभार है; 'seldom' अधिक औपचारिक और 'hardly ever' बोलचाल में आम है।
- He seldom speaks, and hardly ever smiles, but rarely forgets a face.
rarely if ever / rarely or never
These fixed phrases show that something almost never happens. 'Rarely if ever' is the commoner and more natural form.
ये निश्चित phrases बताते हैं कि कोई बात लगभग कभी नहीं होती; 'rarely if ever' अधिक स्वाभाविक रूप है।
- Villagers rarely, if ever, visit the district hospital.
+Collocations 5
rarely + adverb/verb
rarely seenrarely usedrarely heardrarely foundrarely mentioned
- This word is rarely used in speech.
rarely, if ever
rarely if eververy rarelyonly rarelyso rarely
- He rarely, if ever, takes a holiday.
rarely + adjective
rarely availablerarely laterarely wrongrarely easy
- Good seats are rarely available on this train.
inverted use
Rarely doesRarely hasRarely haveRarely will
- Rarely does it snow in Shimla before December.
verb + rarely
speak rarelymeet rarelywrite rarelyvisit rarely
- My cousin writes to me only rarely.
“More examples 6
- Radhika rarely misses a class.
राधिका शायद ही कोई कक्षा छोड़ती है।
- It rarely rains in Jaisalmer.
जैसलमेर में बहुत कम बारिश होती है।
- Rarely have I seen such a crowd.
मैंने इतनी भीड़ कम ही देखी है।
- He rarely, if ever, lies.
वह शायद ही कभी झूठ बोलता है।
- Tigers are rarely seen in this part of the forest.
जंगल के इस भाग में बाघ कम ही दिखते हैं।
- The old well is rarely used now.
पुराना कुआँ अब कम ही उपयोग में आता है।
!Common mistakes 3
✗ He rarely does not come late.
✓ He rarely comes late.
Do not use 'rarely' with another negative.
'Rarely' के साथ दूसरा नकारात्मक शब्द नहीं लगता।
✗ Rarely she goes to the market.
✓ Rarely does she go to the market.
'Rarely' at the start requires inversion.
वाक्य के आरंभ में 'rarely' के बाद inversion होता है।
✗ He rarely never comes to class.
✓ He rarely comes to class.
'Rarely' already has a negative meaning, so 'never' must not be added.
'Rarely' में नकारात्मक अर्थ है, इसलिए 'never' नहीं जोड़ते।
≈Synonyms and antonyms
AaSpelling
rare·ly
?Which word?
rarely, seldom and inversion
Rarely and seldom are negative in meaning, so the question tag is positive: 'She rarely comes, does she?' Never add 'ever' after them in formal English; 'rarely ever' is loose. When rarely or seldom begins a sentence, the subject and verb are inverted: 'Rarely have I seen such courage.'
Rarely और seldom negative अर्थ के हैं, इसलिए question tag positive होता है: 'She rarely comes, does she?' Formal English में इनके बाद 'ever' न जोड़िए; 'rarely ever' ढीला प्रयोग है। जब rarely या seldom वाक्य की शुरुआत में हो, तो subject और verb उलट जाते हैं: 'Rarely have I seen such courage'।
§Grammar and usage
Question tag after rarely is positive ('does she?'); inversion after sentence-initial rarely ('Rarely have I…'); 'rarely ever' is avoided.
यह बहुत पूछा जाता है: rarely के बाद question tag positive ('does she?'); वाक्य की शुरुआत में rarely के बाद inversion ('Rarely have I…'); 'rarely ever' से बचिए।