highly infrequent

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "highly infrequent" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that occurs very rarely or with low frequency. Example: "The occurrence of such events is highly infrequent, making them noteworthy when they do happen."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

Second, it must come to terms with the fact that China's rise and America's decline are not simply a result of a failure of policy but are rather one of those great — and highly infrequent — historical shifts that governments can do relatively little to affect, let alone prevent.

The New York Times - Books

Yet there are a host of brand startups selling highly infrequent purchases.

TechCrunch

Complete absence of the infrarenal IVC with preservation of the suprarenal segment is highly infrequent.

Insights into Imaging

Reports on actual incidents appear to counter this contention, however, as figures suggest voter fraud is a highly infrequent occurrence.

Huffington Post

Yet, the university is willing to sacrifice its reputation to protect rapists from highly infrequent false accusations instead of protecting victims.

Huffington Post

Due to this unique mechanism of action, cross-resistance between linezolid and other protein synthesis inhibitors is highly infrequent or nonexistent.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

Cardiac adverse events (CAEs) are relatively infrequent, but highly lethal, after noncardiac operations.

Journal of the American College of Surgeons

Tsunamis are infrequent but highly destructive natural phenomena, in which limited time is available to make appropriate response decisions regarding key matters such as evacuation and sheltering.

Habitat International

Paradoxically, the highly specific, and accordingly infrequent, tallimustine sites are distributed throughout the genome nearly randomly, resembling the distribution of much less specific (and more numerous) lesions by cisplatin.

Advances in DNA Sequence-Specific Agents

Some researchers suggest that individuals can be grouped into species-like populations given highly similar genomes and infrequent gene transfer to/from cells with less-related genomes, as in the genus Ferroplasma.

Wikipedia

This suggests that if fusion of mature LDs were to occur, it would be an infrequent and highly regulated event.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the rarity of an event or phenomenon, use "highly infrequent" to convey a sense of significant but not absolute rareness. This phrase is suitable for academic and professional contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "highly infrequent" when describing events that are truly unique or have never occurred. In such cases, phrases like "unprecedented" or "never before seen" are more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "highly infrequent" functions as an adjectival modifier, used to describe nouns and noun phrases by specifying that something occurs rarely. This is supported by Ludwig AI, and several examples from Ludwig show its use in modifying nouns such as "occurrence" and in scientific contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

57%

News & Media

33%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "highly infrequent" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to describe something that occurs very rarely. Ludwig AI confirms its validity, and the examples show its prevalence in scientific and news contexts. It's best used to emphasize the rarity of an event without implying it's impossible or unprecedented. While alternative phrases like "very rare" exist, "highly infrequent" offers a more formal and emphatic tone. Understanding its proper context and avoiding overstatement are key to effective use.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

very rare

Emphasizes extreme rareness, more direct than "highly infrequent".

extremely uncommon

Highlights the lack of commonness, offering a slightly different perspective on rarity.

exceptionally rare

Stresses the exceptional nature of the rarity.

remarkably infrequent

Emphasizes that the infrequency is worth noting.

decidedly uncommon

Similar to extremely uncommon, indicating a clear lack of common occurrence.

unusually rare

Highlights the unusual nature of the rareness.

distinctly infrequent

Indicates a clear and noticeable lack of frequency.

singularly uncommon

Implies a unique lack of commonness.

infrequent

Shortened version of query that has the same meaning.

seldom seen

Shifts focus to visual observation, implying rarity in terms of what is observed.

FAQs

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

You can use "highly infrequent" to describe events, occurrences, or phenomena that happen very rarely. For example, "Voter fraud is a "highly infrequent occurrence"" or "Complete absence of the infrarenal IVC with preservation of the suprarenal segment is "highly infrequent"".

What are some alternatives to "highly infrequent"?

Some alternatives include "very rare", "extremely uncommon", or "exceptionally rare". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "highly infrequent" the same as "rare"?

"Highly infrequent" emphasizes the degree of rareness more strongly than simply saying "rare". While "rare" indicates something doesn't happen often, "highly infrequent" suggests it's even less likely to occur.

Which is correct, "highly infrequent" or "not frequent"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but "highly infrequent" is more formal and conveys a stronger sense of rarity. "Not frequent" is a simpler and less emphatic way to express the same idea.