absolutely uncommon

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "absolutely uncommon" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize the rarity or unusualness of something. Example: "The phenomenon of a blue moon is absolutely uncommon, occurring only once every few years."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science & Research

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

But proxy marriages, where one is dead and the other is alive, are now "absolutely uncommon" says Foster.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Of course, every song about the Lord is absolutely great, but try to aim for uncommon beats and sounds.

WikiHow

I have absolutely no idea how I managed this relatively uncommon occurrence, but let me share with you that it did not improve what was probably my busiest week of the semester.

Science Magazine

Finally, if you are an omnivore, if you dream about uncommon ingredients and pure, focused flavors, then Ryan Tate's tasting menus are absolutely worth it.

The New York Times - Food

"Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, absolutely".

The New York Times

"Lawyers producing way more documents than are absolutely necessary, in order to force the other side to spend lots of time going through them, sad to say, is not an uncommon tactic.

The New York Times

Truly uncommon entertainment.

The Guardian - Music

Foreclosures are comparatively uncommon.

The New York Times

It was not uncommon.

The New York Times

Uncommon physical characteristics help.

The New Yorker

Tears are not uncommon.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "absolutely uncommon" when you want to strongly emphasize the rarity of something. Ensure the context warrants such a strong assertion, as overusing it can diminish its impact.

Common error

Avoid using "absolutely uncommon" to describe events or phenomena that are merely unusual or infrequent. Reserve it for situations that are genuinely exceptionally rare.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "absolutely uncommon" functions as an intensified adjective phrase, where "absolutely" serves to amplify the adjective "uncommon". Ludwig shows that the expression is used to emphasize the rarity or exceptional nature of something.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Wiki

25%

Science & Research

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "absolutely uncommon" is used to strongly emphasize the rarity or infrequency of something. As Ludwig's analysis shows, it functions as an intensified adjective phrase and is considered grammatically correct, though relatively rare in usage. It is best suited for contexts where you want to highlight the exceptional nature of something, but be careful not to overstate its usage on merely unusual occurrences. Alternatives such as "extremely rare" or "very unusual" can be considered based on the specific nuance needed.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

extremely rare

Replaces "absolutely uncommon" with a stronger emphasis on rarity.

uncommonly rare

Inverts the structure while retaining a similar emphasis.

very unusual

Uses a different adjective to describe the infrequency.

remarkably infrequent

Highlights the infrequency as noteworthy.

highly exceptional

Emphasizes the exceptional nature of the rarity.

singularly uncommon

Highlights the uncommon nature as being unique.

utterly infrequent

Uses "utterly" for emphasis and replaces "uncommon" with "infrequent".

unquestionably rare

Indicates the rareness cannot be disputed.

completely atypical

Focuses on the atypical nature of the subject.

decidedly scarce

Indicates a definite lack of occurrence.

FAQs

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

You can use "absolutely uncommon" to emphasize the rarity of an event. For example: "A solar eclipse is an absolutely uncommon event in this region".

What are some alternatives to "absolutely uncommon"?

Some alternatives include "extremely rare", "very unusual", or "highly exceptional", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "absolutely uncommon" grammatically correct?

Yes, "absolutely uncommon" is grammatically correct. "Absolutely" is used as an intensifier to emphasize how uncommon something is.

In what contexts is "absolutely uncommon" most appropriate?

The phrase "absolutely uncommon" is best used in contexts where you want to highlight the extreme rarity of something, often in descriptive or explanatory writing.