I seldom even

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "I seldom even" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize the rarity of an action or occurrence, often followed by a verb or action that is being downplayed. Example: "I seldom even think about going out on weekends anymore."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

I seldom even wear gloves".

Forbes

I see the good in every sincere leader, and I seldom even attack those who seem to some like hypocrites.

Huffington Post

I seldom even work with sophomores or juniors, except to give broad advice and to nudge them towards a fulfilling senior year.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Mr. Venegas never knows and seldom even inquires in advance what Mr. London has planned.

The New York Times

They seldom even have a base of support within the general public.

The New Yorker

So pervasive has neoliberalism become that we seldom even recognise it as an ideology.

The Guardian - Books

Incumbents are typically re-elected with such ease that they seldom even come out to greet people at a supermarket.

The New York Times

One of the most powerful tools for improving the educational achievement of poor black and Hispanic public school students is, regrettably, seldom even considered.

The New York Times

They had a ring savvy that is totally absent from any analysis of Mayweather's exploits, which seldom even glances back at the men in history  who reigned at his weight.

Independent

Now — 33 months before a presidential election, two years before the first primaries — his chances aren't merely discounted; he's seldom even mentioned in Republican circles, as if he has been sidelined by his independence on Iraq.

The New York Times - Magazine

In contrast, Pettitte, who lived quietly with his family in Westchester during his nine seasons with the Yankees, seldom even drove into Manhattan much less got into trouble there.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "I seldom even" when you want to emphasize the rarity of an action or feeling, often to downplay its significance.

Common error

While grammatically correct, "I seldom even" can sound somewhat informal. In professional writing, consider using "I rarely even" or "I infrequently even" for a more polished tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "I seldom even" functions as an adverbial modifier, emphasizing the infrequency or rarity of an action or state. As Ludwig AI shows, it’s used to downplay the occurrence of something. It directly modifies the verb that follows, indicating that the action almost never takes place.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "I seldom even" is a grammatically correct adverbial phrase used to emphasize the infrequency of an action. According to Ludwig AI, its function is to downplay the occurrence of something. While slightly less common than alternatives like "I rarely even", it effectively conveys a sense of rarity in a neutral register, primarily found in news and media contexts. It's best used to express something that almost never happens, but be mindful of its potential informality in certain professional settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I rarely even

This alternative is more common and directly replaces "seldom" with "rarely", maintaining the same structure.

I hardly ever

This alternative uses a more colloquial expression to indicate infrequency.

I scarcely even

This alternative is slightly more formal, replacing "seldom" with "scarcely".

I infrequently even

This alternative uses a more formal adverb, "infrequently", to express the rarity.

I don't often even

This alternative rephrases the sentence to use a negative construction, indicating a lack of frequency.

I only occasionally even

This alternative uses "only occasionally" to indicate that something happens very few times.

I virtually never even

This alternative emphasizes near non-existence of the action.

I almost never even

This alternative implies that the action happens very close to never happening.

I hardly ever actually

This alternative adds emphasis using 'actually', highlighting the improbability.

It's uncommon for me to even

This alternative uses a different grammatical structure to express the same idea.

FAQs

How can I use "I seldom even" in a sentence?

You can use "I seldom even" to express that you rarely do something. For example, "I seldom even think about that issue anymore".

What's a more formal way to say "I seldom even"?

For a more formal tone, consider using alternatives such as "I "rarely even"" or "I "infrequently even"".

Is there a difference between "I seldom even" and "I rarely even"?

The phrases "I seldom even" and "I "rarely even"" are very similar in meaning. "Rarely" is slightly more common in modern usage than "seldom", but both indicate infrequency.

What are some common synonyms for "I seldom even"?

Common synonyms include "I "hardly ever"", "I "scarcely even"", and "I don't often even".