fairly infrequent

USAGE SUMMARY

"fairly infrequent" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that does not happen or occur often enough to be considered regular or normal. For example, "She visits her parents fairly infrequently, usually only once every couple of months."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

' This sound is fairly infrequent in Gulf Arabic.

The Guardian - Travel

Holes are a fairly infrequent occurence and resolved using the approach mentioned above.

Columbia University

Given my fairly infrequent use of the fireplace, he said, I should be O.K. waiting two years for an inspection.

The New York Times

Visiting fans have frequently been banned from Swansea v Cardiff games, such is the antipathy between the two clubs from south Wales; likewise, West Ham v Millwall games are particularly spicy affairs and ones the Metropolitan Police are presumably quite glad are fairly infrequent, especially after the violence the last time the two met, in the 2009 League Cup.

The Guardian - Sport

Such collaborations are still fairly infrequent, with joint security architectures as the typical starting point.

Forbes

We also relied on chart review and fairly infrequent drug testing for our outcome measures.

Health & Justice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

That's actually pretty infrequent.

Forbes

A 2018 report from the National Union of Students and the charity Release found that 56% of the 2,810 students surveyed have ever used drugs, stating that "drug use is a fairly common, although infrequent, behaviour" among students.

The Guardian

The accidents that led to the recall were infrequent, fairly random events.

Forbes

It should be noted that in breasts without malignant changes, genetic alterations in normal cells are rather infrequent, subtle, and fairly random [ 6].

Breast Cancer Research

The ureter is fairly radioresistant and radiation induced strictures are infrequent [ 35].

Cancer Imaging

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "fairly infrequent", ensure the context provides a clear understanding of what is considered 'frequent' in that particular scenario. This helps avoid ambiguity and ensures the reader grasps the intended meaning.

Common error

Avoid using "fairly infrequent" when describing something that almost never happens. The 'fairly' implies some level of occurrence, so for events that are exceedingly rare, consider stronger terms like "extremely rare" or "virtually nonexistent".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fairly infrequent" functions as an adverbial modifier, specifically an intensifier ("fairly") modifying an adjective ("infrequent"). It describes the degree to which something occurs rarely. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

Science

31%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

"Fairly infrequent" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe occurrences that are less common than typical, yet not exceedingly rare. As Ludwig AI indicates, it's perfectly acceptable in written English. Analysis of its usage reveals its prevalence across diverse contexts, including news, scientific research, and academic writing. While it's appropriate for both formal and informal communication, it's important to remember the nuances that differentiate it from alternatives like "rare" or "uncommon". Its frequency, while common, warrants careful consideration of context to ensure the conveyed meaning is precise. Use it to add depth and clarity when describing the frequency of events without overstating their rarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

relatively uncommon

Replaces 'infrequent' with 'uncommon' and 'fairly' with 'relatively', emphasizing the lack of commonness.

moderately rare

Substitutes 'infrequent' with 'rare' and 'fairly' with 'moderately', indicating a lower occurrence rate.

somewhat scarce

Replaces 'infrequent' with 'scarce' and 'fairly' with 'somewhat', suggesting a limited availability or occurrence.

not very frequent

Uses a more direct and literal phrasing to convey the idea of a lack of frequency.

rather unusual

Replaces 'infrequent' with 'unusual' and 'fairly' with 'rather', highlighting the atypical nature of the event.

occasionally

A single-word adverb that captures the essence of happening sometimes but not often.

from time to time

An idiomatic expression suggesting that something happens at irregular intervals.

not a common occurrence

A more descriptive phrase indicating that something is not typically observed or experienced.

sparse

A single-word adjective to describe something thinly distributed or occurring at wide intervals

at intervals

Describes events or actions that happen with some distance between occurrences, not necessarily frequent

FAQs

How can I use "fairly infrequent" in a sentence?

You can use "fairly infrequent" to describe events or occurrences that happen less often than what might be considered typical or regular. For example, "Due to the pandemic, in-person meetings have become "fairly infrequent"".

What are some alternatives to "fairly infrequent"?

Alternatives to "fairly infrequent" include "relatively uncommon", "moderately rare", or "somewhat scarce". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "fairly infrequent" or "very infrequent"?

"Fairly infrequent" suggests something happens occasionally but not often, while "very infrequent" implies it almost never happens. Choose the phrase that best reflects the actual frequency of the event.

What does "fairly infrequent" imply about frequency?

"Fairly infrequent" suggests that an event or action occurs less often than usual, but not so rare as to be considered almost nonexistent. It implies a middle ground between 'frequent' and 'rare'.