absolutely rare

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "absolutely rare" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It can be used to emphasize the level of rarity of something. Here are a few examples: - The diamond ring she received for her birthday was absolutely rare, as it was one of a kind and could not be found anywhere else. - It is absolutely rare to find a restaurant that serves such authentic Italian cuisine outside of Italy. - The chances of winning the lottery are absolutely rare, but that didn't stop him from buying a ticket every week. - Her talent for singing was absolutely rare and mesmerizing, leaving the audience in awe.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Opinion stability manifests in a twofold way: shifting positions between pre- and post-discussion ranking is absolutely rare, and the topped-ranked technologies/portfolios in general improve their score, while the last-ranked technologies/portfolios impair their score.

Energy, Sustainability and Society

How absolutely rare, refreshing, and revolutionary.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

"The Russian market is really high right now, for absolutely everything — rare books, manuscripts, memorabilia.

The New York Times

The East of England ambulance services trust, which has some of the worst emergency response times of any ambulance trust in England, has defended the new policy is "absolutely right" in rare circumstances.

The Guardian

Cases of severe parental alienation, she said, are rare but "absolutely terrifying".

The Guardian

He is supporting a new album, "Kiss Without Makeup" (Absolutely Kosher); thus this rare New York gig.

The New York Times

"That's absolutely terrifying and incredibly rare," meteorologist Eric Holthaus told Slate.

The Guardian

It has been a rare and absolutely incredible time that we all feel very lucky to have shared".

The Guardian - Music

It has been particularly brilliant at reclaiming dance history: who imagined 10 years ago that you could watch old film of Anna Pavlova, delicate, rare but absolutely present on your computer screen?

The Guardian

Mr. Utley, in particular, played no notes that weren't absolutely necessary — something very rare for a front-line instrument in any music — and the live show exposed the symmetry between Ms. Gibbons's quavering voice and the songs' queasy keyboard tones.

The New York Times - Arts

Looking at the training rural database we can find pictures with dense vegetation nearby the road and also cross sections where vegetation is rare or absolutely lacking.

European Transport Research Review

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "absolutely rare" to emphasize the extreme infrequency or uniqueness of something. This phrase is stronger than simply saying "rare".

Common error

Avoid using "absolutely rare" to describe things that are merely uncommon or slightly unusual. Reserve this phrase for situations where the rarity is truly exceptional.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "absolutely rare" functions as an intensified adjective phrase, modifying a noun to emphasize its extreme rarity. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically correct. The word 'absolutely' acts as an intensifier, strengthening the meaning of 'rare'.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "absolutely rare" is a grammatically sound and emphatic way to describe something exceptionally uncommon. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usefulness in emphasizing rarity. While found in reputable sources such as The Guardian and The New York Times, it is important to reserve its use for situations where the rarity is truly exceptional, rather than merely uncommon. Alternatives like "extremely uncommon" or "uniquely scarce" can be used to convey a similar meaning. The phrase finds its place mostly in News & Media and Science contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

extremely uncommon

Replaces "rare" with "uncommon" and "absolutely" with "extremely", both emphasizing infrequency.

decidedly uncommon

Replaces "absolutely" with "decidedly", keeping the focus on "uncommon".

uniquely scarce

Substitutes "rare" with "scarce" highlighting the limited availability, and "absolutely" with "uniquely" stressing uniqueness.

utterly infrequent

Uses "utterly" to amplify "infrequent", underscoring the lack of frequency.

singularly infrequent

Replaces "rare" with "infrequent" which focuses on the lack of occurrence and "absolutely" with "singularly" emphasizing the uniqueness.

categorically unusual

Replace "absolutely" with "categorically", keeping the focus on "unusual".

distinctively exceptional

Changes the focus to the exceptional nature of something rather than pure rarity.

exceptionally atypical

Highlights how something is not typical, suggesting rarity through deviation.

remarkably unusual

Emphasizes the deviation from the norm, implying rarity through being "unusual".

positively singular

Focuses on the unique and one-of-a-kind nature, rather than pure rarity.

FAQs

How can I use "absolutely rare" in a sentence?

You can use "absolutely rare" to emphasize the extreme infrequency or uniqueness of something, for example: "It is "absolutely rare" to find such a perfectly preserved artifact."

What phrases are similar to "absolutely rare"?

Similar phrases include "extremely uncommon", "uniquely scarce", or "singularly infrequent". Each emphasizes rarity in slightly different ways.

Is "absolutely rare" the same as "very rare"?

While both indicate rarity, "absolutely rare" suggests a higher degree of infrequency or uniqueness than "very rare". "Absolutely" adds emphasis.

When is it appropriate to use "absolutely rare"?

Use "absolutely rare" when you want to highlight that something is exceptionally uncommon and stands out due to its scarcity or uniqueness. Avoid using it for things that are merely somewhat unusual.