hardly always

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hardly always" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It is contradictory, as "hardly" implies something occurs rarely, while "always" suggests it occurs consistently. Example: "She hardly always attends the meetings, which makes it difficult to rely on her input."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

Mr. Berezovsky had an outsize, if hardly always benevolent, role in post-Soviet Russia.

The New York Times

But the dread of being found out is hardly always paralyzing.

The New York Times - Health

But the battles between big cable operators and big programmers often, though hardly always, serve the public's interest.

The New York Times

But while cow veneration and vegetarianism may be the hallmarks of Hinduism today, Mr. Jha compiles copious evidence that this has hardly always been the case.

The New York Times - Books

On Yahoo, Jeff Passan revisits Tom Gamboa, the Royals' first-base coach who was punched on the field in an incident eight years ago, to illustrate that these things are hardly always innocent fun.

The New York Times - Sports

But that's not going to stop him (and it is usually, though hardly always, a him) from getting down to live music until 1 in the morning on a Wednesday, if there's a good show to be had.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

These are flexible, actable, entertaining and serious plays, almost always very smart, hardly ever simply worthy.

The Guardian

It will be a Herculean task: we always look west, hardly ever east.

The Guardian

Life does not always -- or hardly ever -- turn out how we hoped and dreamed.

Huffington Post

Parents answer the questions on a 6-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (hardly ever) to 6 (almost always).

European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Parents rate all items on a 6-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (hardly ever) to 6 (almost always).

Child Psychiatry and Human Development

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "hardly always" in your writing. It creates a contradictory statement that can confuse readers. Choose alternatives like "almost never" or "rarely" to convey your intended meaning clearly.

Common error

Don't blend the idea of something happening infrequently ("hardly") with the notion of it happening all the time ("always"). This creates a logical contradiction. Replace "hardly always" with a more accurate expression of frequency.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hardly always" functions as an adverbial modifier, but its use is grammatically incorrect and contradictory. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase creates confusion due to the conflicting meanings of "hardly" (rarely) and "always" (consistently).

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "hardly always" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided. As Ludwig AI points out, it combines contradictory ideas, with "hardly" suggesting rarity and "always" suggesting consistency. While examples can be found in various sources, including news and media, this does not validate its use. More appropriate alternatives like "almost never" or "rarely ever" should be used to express infrequency clearly. Using "hardly always" can confuse readers and undermine the credibility of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost never

Emphasizes the rarity of an event or action; more direct than "hardly always".

rarely ever

Similar in meaning to "almost never", but with a slightly different emphasis on infrequency.

seldom ever

Expresses infrequency, similar to "rarely ever" but less common in modern usage.

scarcely ever

Similar to "hardly ever", emphasizing the limited frequency of an event.

almost never happens

Expands the phrase to clarify the meaning, making it more explicit.

not usually

Indicates that something does not typically happen, without the strong negative connotation of "hardly".

not always

A more direct and grammatically sound way of expressing that something is not a constant occurrence.

infrequently

A more formal adverb indicating that something happens rarely.

not frequently

A more formal way of saying "not often".

on rare occasions

Indicates that something happens only a few times.

FAQs

What does "hardly always" mean?

The phrase "hardly always" is grammatically incorrect because "hardly" suggests something happens rarely, while "always" indicates it happens consistently. It's a contradictory combination that doesn't convey a clear meaning.

What can I say instead of "hardly always"?

You can use alternatives like "almost never", "rarely ever", or "not usually" to more accurately express infrequency.

Is it correct to say "hardly always"?

No, it is not correct. The combination of "hardly", which implies rarity, and "always", which implies consistency, creates a contradiction. It's better to use phrases like "almost never" or "rarely".

What is the difference between "hardly always" and "not always"?

"Hardly always" is grammatically incorrect and contradictory. "Not always" is grammatically correct and means that something does not happen every time, but it can happen sometimes. It's a more accurate way to express that something is not a constant occurrence.