hardly ever see

USAGE SUMMARY

"hardly ever see" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when you want to indicate that you rarely or almost never see something. For example, "I hardly ever see the sun during the winter."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

I hardly ever see you".

The New Yorker

And you hardly ever see them.

The New Yorker

Here's something you hardly ever see anymore.

The Washington Post

And we hardly ever see Julian.

The New York Times - Magazine

I hardly ever see anything through.

The Guardian - Film

You hardly ever see such perfect Head and Shoulders patterns.

Yale University

The truth is we hardly ever see each other.

Independent

We hardly ever see each other for a start".

Independent

In fact you hardly ever see them actually moving.

The Guardian

Here in New York we hardly ever see the stars.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

I hardly ever see her".

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "hardly ever see" to clearly convey that something is rarely observed or encountered. This phrase is suitable for both formal and informal contexts.

Common error

Avoid using double negatives with "hardly ever see". For example, instead of saying "I don't hardly ever see it", say "I hardly ever see it" or "I rarely see it".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hardly ever see" functions as an adverbial modifier indicating the infrequency of a visual experience or encounter. Ludwig AI confirms it's a valid and common phrase. Examples include "I hardly ever see Julian" and "You hardly ever see such perfect Head and Shoulders patterns."

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

88%

Academia

6%

Science

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Wiki

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "hardly ever see" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase for expressing that something is rarely observed. As Ludwig AI indicates, this phrase is correct and usable in written English. Predominantly found in news and media, it also appears in academic and scientific contexts. When using this phrase, ensure you avoid double negatives and consider alternatives such as "rarely see" or "almost never see" depending on the desired nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

rarely see

Replaces "hardly ever" with "rarely", maintaining a similar level of infrequency but with a slightly more formal tone.

almost never see

Substitutes "hardly ever" with "almost never", emphasizing the near absence of sightings.

scarcely ever see

Uses "scarcely ever" in place of "hardly ever", providing a more literary or emphatic expression of rarity.

infrequently see

Replaces "hardly ever" with "infrequently", offering a more formal and direct synonym.

seldom see

Substitutes "hardly ever" with "seldom", providing a concise and somewhat old-fashioned alternative.

barely ever see

Similar to "hardly ever", but may imply that seeing something is difficult or challenging when it does happen.

almost never encounter

Replaces both "hardly ever" and "see" to introduce a more encompassing term than "see".

rarely encounter

Combines the ideas of "rarely see" and "almost never encounter" into a synonym.

don't often see

Offers a more casual and conversational alternative, using a straightforward negation.

not often see

Emphasizes the lack of frequency, making it more suitable for general conversation or casual writing.

FAQs

How can I use "hardly ever see" in a sentence?

You can use "hardly ever see" to indicate that something or someone is rarely observed. For example, "I "hardly ever see" stars in the city" or "We "hardly ever see" each other anymore since we moved."

What's a more formal way to say "hardly ever see"?

More formal alternatives to "hardly ever see" include phrases like "rarely see", "infrequently see", or "seldom see".

Which is correct: "I hardly ever see" or "I don't hardly ever see"?

"I "hardly ever see"" is correct. "I don't hardly ever see" is a double negative and should be avoided.

What's the difference between "rarely see" and ""hardly ever see""?

While both phrases convey infrequency, "rarely see" might imply a slightly lesser degree of infrequency compared to ""hardly ever see"", which suggests something is almost never seen.