an infrequent event

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an infrequent event" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that does not happen often or occurs rarely. Example: "The annual meteor shower is an infrequent event that attracts many stargazers."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

41 human-written examples

An alternative explanation is that this BRAF mutation is an infrequent event in uveal melanoma and the observed, inappropriate downstream activation of the MAPK component is due to genetic alterations in other components of this pathway.

British Journal of Cancer

Thankfully, battery changes should be an infrequent event.

TechCrunch

Therefore, transmitting an event packet is an infrequent event as opposed to the data transmission.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Instead of maintaining servers for an infrequent event, the company can pinpoint the exact resources it needs, only when it needs them for a given event.

TechCrunch

Recruitment is a key process for maintaining sustainable tree populations, but throughout arid lands it seems to be an infrequent event [10] [12].

Plosone

The results are also consistent with previous observations from our group in patients with Ph+ CML in which DNA hypermethylation is an infrequent event [23], [30] with DNA hypomethylation being a more representative epigenetic alteration [31].

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

19 human-written examples

The development of a tumour inside a longstanding fistula is an extremely infrequent event.

BMC Cancer

Results: invasive pneumococcal disease was a relatively infrequent event with an incidence of 1.9 per 1000 person years.

Journal of Clinical Virology

As Mr Vedral points out, it says that an unexpected, infrequent event contains much more information than a more regular happening.Once he has defined information, Mr Vedral proceeds to show how information theory can be applied to biology, physics, economics, sociology and philosophy.

The Economist

The transmission of avian or swine influenza viruses to humans, the report said, (almost wistfully, in retrospect), "seems a rather infrequent event today".

Huffington Post

We are mindful that the total number of MSS patients with ACVR2 loss that were investigated in this study is not large, underscoring that this is a relatively infrequent event [15].

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "an infrequent event", ensure that the context clearly establishes what constitutes a 'normal' or 'frequent' event for comparison. This provides clarity and strengthens the impact of the statement.

Common error

Avoid using "an infrequent event" when describing something that has never happened. Use language that reflects impossibility or non-existence rather than low probability.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an infrequent event" functions as a noun phrase that describes something which does not occur often. It is used to characterize occurrences as exceptional or rare, and it's considered grammatically sound, according to Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

85%

News & Media

11%

Formal & Business

4%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "an infrequent event" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to describe something that occurs rarely. Ludwig's analysis of numerous sources indicates its frequent usage in scientific and news contexts, where precision is valued. When using this phrase, ensure the context provides a clear baseline for what is considered 'frequent'. Remember to avoid using it when describing events that are impossible, instead of rare. Considering alternatives like "a rare occurrence" can add nuance depending on the intended emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a rare occurrence

Replaces "infrequent event" with "rare occurrence", emphasizing the scarcity of the event.

an uncommon happening

Substitutes "infrequent" with "uncommon" and "event" with "happening", slightly altering the tone to be less formal.

a seldom occurrence

Replaces "infrequent" with "seldom", keeping a formal tone.

an exceptional circumstance

Highlights the deviation from the norm, focusing on the unusual nature of the circumstance.

a sporadic incident

Emphasizes the irregularity and lack of pattern in the occurrence of the incident.

an isolated case

Suggests that the event is unique and not part of a larger trend.

an occasional instance

Indicates that the event happens from time to time, but not regularly.

a rare phenomenon

Highlights the noteworthy and unusual character of the phenomenon.

a once-in-a-blue-moon situation

Uses an idiom to express the extreme rarity of the situation.

an anomaly

Implies a deviation from the norm or expected pattern.

FAQs

How can I use "an infrequent event" in a sentence?

You can use "an infrequent event" to describe something that doesn't happen often. For example, "Hospitalization for the CFS sample is "an infrequent event"."

What is a good substitute for "an infrequent event"?

Alternatives include "a rare occurrence", "an uncommon event", or "a sporadic incident" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "infrequent event" or "rare event"?

Both "infrequent event" and "rare event" are grammatically correct. "Rare event" might emphasize the unusual or exceptional nature more strongly.

What does "infrequent" actually mean?

"Infrequent" means not occurring often; happening or appearing at long intervals. It's used to describe things that are not commonplace or regular occurrences.