hardly a month

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hardly a month" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that a short amount of time has passed, often implying that something has occurred or changed in that brief period. Example: "It has hardly been a month since we last met, yet so much has changed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

39 human-written examples

Hardly a month goes by without some officer being accused of a crime.

The Economist

Hardly a month passes without another accusation hurdled at milk as less than an ideal food.

The New York Times - Health

Hardly a month passes without the BBC being engulfed in some kind of controversy.

The Guardian

Hardly a month seems to go by without Lindsay Lohan eating up column inches for everything but her acting.

Independent

Hardly a month goes by when the pope does not publicly bemoan that fact, beseeching Europeans to rediscover the faith.

The New York Times

But hardly a month goes by when the pope does not publicly beseech Europeans to rediscover the faith.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

20 human-written examples

But even that benign explanation was hardly an august moment in the campaign for the most powerful governor's office in the nation.

The New York Times

It has hardly been a month since she was on the Oscar red-carpet as an Academy Award nominee for her fascinating documentary Waste Land.

The Guardian

For each of the four types of alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, western hard liquor and Chinese hard liquor), participants were asked to choose from eight frequency categories: never or hardly, once a month, 2 3 times a month, once a week, 2 3 times a week, 4 6 times a week, once a day, and two or more times a day.

British Journal of Cancer

February was hardly an ideal month for retailers: snowstorms blanketed many parts of the country, and car dealerships faced an uproar over safety concerns.

The New York Times

But to exit the public sphere underwater from your IPO price is hardly a triumphant march.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "hardly a month" to emphasize the surprising or noteworthy infrequency of an event. For example, "Hardly a month goes by without some new technological innovation being announced."

Common error

Avoid using "hardly a month" when you actually mean something happens with moderate frequency. "Hardly" implies a rare occurrence, so ensure the context aligns with this meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hardly a month" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb. It indicates the infrequency with which an event occurs. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "hardly a month" is a common and grammatically correct way to express that something happens infrequently or is a rare occurrence. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and usability in various written contexts. It is most frequently found in news and media sources, indicating its general applicability. Related phrases include "barely a month" and "scarcely a month". When using this phrase, ensure the context emphasizes the infrequency of the event you're describing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

barely a month

Replaces "hardly" with "barely", maintaining the sense of infrequency.

scarcely a month

Uses "scarcely" instead of "hardly" to express a similar idea of rarity.

rarely a month goes by

Emphasizes the infrequency by specifying that a month rarely passes without something happening.

practically never monthly

Indicates the action almost never occurs monthly

almost never monthly

Employs a negative frequency adverb "almost never" with "monthly" to signify rare monthly happenings.

seldom each month

Uses "seldom" to replace "hardly" and emphasizes the monthly aspect with "each month".

infrequently monthly

Expresses that something doesn't happen often on a monthly basis using "infrequently".

not quite monthly

Indicates the action occurs somewhat less than monthly using "not quite".

once in a blue moon monthly

Expresses the event is a very rare occasion that happens monthly.

just about monthly

Suggests a very slight possibility that the event is monthly, but this is not the case.

FAQs

How can I use "hardly a month" in a sentence?

You can use "hardly a month" to express that something occurs infrequently. For example, "Hardly a month passes without a new security breach being reported."

What are some alternatives to saying "hardly a month"?

Alternatives include phrases like "rarely a month", "scarcely a month", or "barely a month", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "hardly a month goes by"?

Yes, the phrase "hardly a month goes by" is a common and grammatically correct way to express that something happens frequently, with the implication that it's almost a constant occurrence. The phrasing emphasizes the consistent nature of the event.

What does "hardly" emphasize in the phrase "hardly a month"?

The word "hardly" emphasizes the infrequency or near absence of something happening each month. It suggests the event is rare or unexpected.