but only seldom

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "but only seldom" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something happens infrequently or rarely. Example: "I enjoy going out to eat, but only seldom do I indulge in fine dining."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Like many English food writers, Ms. Dunlop doesn't belong to the fanatical-detail recipe school, but only seldom did I encounter uncertainties — for instance, did my green-shiso-for-purple-perilla swap make more sense than Ms. Dunlop's recommended substitution of Thai basil?

The New York Times

Computational approaches for the discovery of unprecedented reactions are therefore desirable, but only seldom reported and not applicable to modern catalytic reactions [3,4].

Journal of Cheminformatics

But only seldom does the moon cross in front of a star bright enough to be seen beside it, and thus able to provide sufficient light to outline the shape of the moon as it passes the star.

Science Magazine

Physicians are moderately positive about their patients' health-related Internet use but only seldom refer them to relevant sites.

Clinical Rheumatology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

But her imagery only seldom suggests flight.

The New York Times - Arts

As a composer in instrumental forms, Mozart employed fugal technique only seldom but with conspicuous success, as in the Fugue in C Minor for two pianos, K 426 (1783), and the F Minor Fantasia for organ, K 608 (1791).

Encyclopedia Britannica

Many will only seldom be rolled out into public view.

The Guardian - Opinion

Only seldom do the bacilli invade the bloodstream, causing rapidly fatal septicemia (blood poisoning), internal bleeding, and, sometimes, meningitis.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Only seldom do you come across a piece by him in a museum, though the encounter is memorable.

The New York Times - Arts

Unlike Ordinary Men, it only seldom takes the reader to the awful reality of what those decisions led to.

The Guardian - Books

Continuing the tradition of relative anonymity of authorship of the manuscript books, the earliest pages never, and later ones only seldom, revealed the author of the work.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "but only seldom", ensure that the contrast introduced by "but" is clearly defined and relevant to the statement that follows. This helps maintain clarity and logical flow.

Common error

While grammatically correct, "only seldom" can sound overly formal in casual conversation. Consider using alternatives like "not often" or "rarely" for a more natural tone in informal settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "but only seldom" functions as an adverbial phrase that modifies a verb, indicating the frequency with which an action occurs. As Ludwig AI indicates, it introduces a contrast while specifying that the action happens infrequently. It's a compound phrase using the conjunction "but" to show contrast.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

20%

Encyclopedias

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "but only seldom" is a grammatically correct conjunction phrase used to introduce a contrast while indicating that something occurs infrequently. As Ludwig AI points out, it's a valid and usable expression found in various reputable sources, including science journals, news outlets, and encyclopedias. While "but only seldom" is acceptable, it tends to lean towards a more formal tone and should be considered when deciding on the phrasing. If a more casual wording is desired, alternatives like "but rarely" or "but not often" might be more appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

but infrequently

Replaces "seldom" with "infrequently", maintaining a similar level of formality but emphasizing the lack of frequency.

but rarely

Substitutes "seldom" with "rarely", offering a more concise alternative with a slightly stronger connotation of infrequency.

but scarcely ever

Emphasizes the rarity of the event with "scarcely ever", creating a stronger sense of infrequency.

but not often

Uses a more common and straightforward expression, reducing the formality of the original phrase.

but hardly ever

Similar to "scarcely ever", this emphasizes the rarity of occurrence using more colloquial language.

but on rare occasions

Replaces "seldom" with a more formal phrase, maintaining the sophisticated tone of the original.

but just occasionally

Adds a sense of randomness and irregularity to the infrequency, implying that occurrences are unplanned.

but from time to time

Implies that while infrequent, the action does occur periodically.

but once in a while

Indicates an even less frequent occurrence, suggesting a longer interval between instances.

but uniquely

Implies that something happens on very unique cases or circumstances, not simply infrequent. The change is very high and potentially creates a contradiction.

FAQs

How can I use "but only seldom" in a sentence?

You can use "but only seldom" to introduce a contrast while indicating infrequency. For example, "The museum displays many artifacts, but only seldom does it exhibit its most valuable pieces."

What phrases are similar to "but only seldom"?

Similar phrases include "but rarely", "but infrequently", or "but not often", which all convey a similar meaning of something not happening frequently.

Is "but only seldom" formal or informal?

"But only seldom" leans towards the formal side. In more casual contexts, alternatives like "but not often" or "but rarely" may be more appropriate.

What's the difference between "but only seldom" and "but never"?

"But only seldom" indicates that something happens infrequently, whereas "but never" indicates that something does not happen at all. The former implies occasional occurrence, while the latter implies complete absence.