every few years

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "every few years" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a regular, but not frequent, occurrence. For example, "The company holds a meeting every few years to review their long-term goals."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He moved every few years.

The New York Times

Every few years you renege on something.

The New Yorker

Perhaps once every few years.

The Guardian - Film

Every few years, experts miss the mark.

The Guardian

El Niño occurs every few years.

The Guardian

Repot in spring, every few years.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Every few years, the generals rename themselves.

The New York Times

Then we repeat that process every few years.

The New York Times

"This kind of thing comes around every few years.

Independent

Politicians have to worry about being reëlected every few years.

The New Yorker

"Every few years, this neighborhood is destroyed, usually by Israel".

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "every few years" to indicate events that happen regularly but not annually. This phrase is suitable when the exact interval is unimportant or variable.

Common error

Avoid using "every few years" when describing events that happen more frequently. For more frequent occurrences, use phrases like "monthly", "quarterly", or "annually" as appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "every few years" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb, indicating the frequency or interval at which an action or event occurs. Ludwig's examples illustrate this usage across diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

69%

Wiki

12%

Science

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Encyclopedias

2%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "every few years" is a common and grammatically sound way to describe events that recur at multi-year intervals. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is widely used across various contexts, from news and media to science and general conversation. While alternatives like "periodically" or "every couple of years" exist, "every few years" offers a versatile way to express non-annual recurrence. When using the phrase, make sure the action is indeed recurring every few years, and avoid using it for more frequent events. Remember that it is a plural construction so it requires "years". Overall, "every few years" is a reliable phrase for indicating events that happen with some regularity, but not every year.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

every couple of years

Uses "couple" instead of "few", suggesting a slightly shorter interval.

every several years

Synonymous, but uses "several" for a less precise quantity.

every two to three years

More specific, defining the range of years.

at intervals of a few years

More formal and descriptive, less idiomatic.

periodically

Single word expressing recurring intervals, more formal.

every handful of years

More informal and uses a more figurative term.

on a semi-regular basis

Highlights the recurring nature but is less precise about the timeframe.

at certain intervals

Implies a scheduled recurrence.

from time to time

Less frequent and predictable.

once in a while

Indicates less frequent occurrence.

FAQs

How can I use "every few years" in a sentence?

Use "every few years" to indicate something that happens at intervals of multiple years, but not at a fixed or annual rate. For example, "The company updates its software "every few years"."

What's the difference between "every few years" and "every couple of years"?

"Every couple of years" implies a shorter and more specific timeframe (approximately two years), whereas ""every few years"" is more general, suggesting an interval of perhaps two to five years.

What can I say instead of "every few years"?

You can use alternatives like "periodically", "every couple of years", or "at intervals of a few years" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "every few year" instead of "every few years"?

No, the correct form is ""every few years"". The plural form "years" is necessary because "few" implies more than one year.