infrequent happening

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "infrequent happening" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an event or occurrence that does not happen often. Example: "The infrequent happening of such natural phenomena makes them all the more remarkable."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

For anyone involved in this not infrequent happening, it is one of life's emotional low‐points.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Although infrequent, this happens when the investigational treatment is unexpectedly efficacious.

BMC Medical Research Methodology

Overall, violent flare-ups among the mentally ill are infrequent, though they happen with a certain consistency among people who suffer from psychotic disorders, said Dr. Jeffrey A. Lieberman, the chairman of psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center and the director of the New York State Psychiatric Institute.

The New York Times

Fortunately, this happens infrequent enough to truly be considered problematic.

TechCrunch

Dissent in the past was infrequent and, when it happened, did not tend to break along party lines, Prof Neal Devins and Prof Lawrence Baum wrote in How Party Polarization Turned the Supreme Court into a Partisan Court.

BBC

They are infrequent problems, but they happen.

Huffington Post

Constipation, for the purpose of this discussion, means infrequent bowel movements (that happen for 3 days or more), hard, pebbly stools, very large stools ("I can't believe that came out of him" situations), or pain when moving the bowels.

WikiHow

Evacuation Evacuations are infrequent, and when they do happen, they are usually done safely.

The New York Times - Travel

In addition, it is part of the slow-moving, sparsely populated region of the solar system known as the Kuiper Belt, where impacts are infrequent and gentle when they do happen.

Los Angeles Times

The finding that dynamin 2 K44A induces endocytic events that usually do not happen / are relatively infrequent highlights what we see as one of the main advantages of the approach used in our paper, namely analysis of the identity of endocytic carriers in unperturbed cells.

eLife

On not infrequent occasion, one of two things will happen: Trump will tweet a string of thoughts over multiple tweets or Trump will delete and reissue a thought on Twitter.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "infrequent happening", ensure the context clearly indicates what makes the happening infrequent. Providing specific examples or comparisons can enhance clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "infrequent happening" in overly formal or academic writing. Opt for more concise and common alternatives like "rare occurrence" or "uncommon event" for a more polished tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "infrequent happening" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "infrequent" modifies the noun "happening". As Ludwig AI points out, this phrase describes events that do not occur often.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

25%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "infrequent happening" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe something that occurs rarely. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is appropriate for describing events that are not common. While grammatically correct, it is less common than similar phrases like "rare occurrence" or "uncommon event". The phrase appears mostly in news and scientific articles, but is suitable for a variety of contexts. When you want to emphasize that something does not happen often, "infrequent happening" is a valid, though not the most prevalent, choice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

infrequent event

Replaces happening with a similar noun.

rare occurrence

Emphasizes the scarcity of the event.

infrequent case

Highlights a situation that is rare.

rare instance

Highlights a particular case that doesn't happen often.

uncommon event

Highlights that the event is not typical.

seldom occurrence

Similar to rare occurrence but with a slightly more formal tone.

scarce incident

Indicates the event is hard to come by or find.

occasional incident

Focuses on the isolated nature of the event.

unusual circumstance

Points out that the situation is out of the ordinary.

sporadic event

Suggests the event occurs at irregular intervals.

FAQs

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

You can use "infrequent happening" to describe something that doesn't occur often. For example: "The "infrequent happening" of such natural phenomena makes them all the more remarkable."

What are some alternatives to "infrequent happening"?

Alternatives include "rare occurrence", "uncommon event", or "seldom occurrence", depending on the specific context.

Is "infrequent happening" grammatically correct?

Yes, "infrequent happening" is grammatically correct, although it might sound slightly less common than alternatives like "rare occurrence".

What's the difference between "infrequent happening" and "rare occurrence"?

"Infrequent happening" and "rare occurrence" are quite similar. "Rare occurrence" might be preferred in more formal contexts, while "infrequent happening" is generally acceptable but less frequently used.