infrequent occurrences

USAGE SUMMARY

"infrequent occurrences" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe events or situations that happen rarely. For example: "The infrequent occurrences of heavy snowfall in the region surprised the residents." Alternative expressions include "rare events" and "seldom happenings."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

Even infrequent occurrences of such an event could dramatically alter the atomic composition of surface constituents.

Encyclopedia Britannica

These include the "gatekeeper" residue at the hinge, and infrequent occurrences of unique residues, such as glycine [43] or cysteine [44, 45].

Journal of Cheminformatics

Apple rated the app as 9+, which it defines as "Applications in this category may contain mild or infrequent occurrences of cartoon, fantasy or realistic violence, and infrequent or mild mature, suggestive, or horror-themed content which may not be suitable for children under the age of 9".

TechCrunch

These seminal events were described as infrequent occurrences.

BMC Medical Education

In wild-type animals, T-bar morphology was nearly invariant, with infrequent occurrences of misshapen or multiple T-bars.

eLife

Among the entire sample, 89.6%95%5% CI: 87.9% to 91.2%) reported rare or infrequent occurrences of breach of confidentiality.

BMC Medical Research Methodology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

There are 65 beds and, today, only 57 patients -- an infrequent occurrence.

The New York Times

Admittedly depressed afterward — a not infrequent occurrence — he said he was, nonetheless, not discouraged from working in TV.

The New York Times - Arts

"Such a questionnaire is not an infrequent occurrence," Mr. Pouncey said.

The New York Times - Tech

While a "directed donation" to a certain individual after death is possible, it's an infrequent occurrence, with approximately a hundred such donations each year.

The New Yorker

At the Reverse Blue gig at Barbes on Wednesday, Halvorson played over conventional "jazz" chord changes — something of an infrequent occurrence in her many projects — during a tune written by Chris Speed (who plays clarinet and tenor saxophone in the group).

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for precision, consider whether "infrequent occurrences" accurately reflects the degree of rarity. Alternatives like "rare events" or "sporadic instances" might be more appropriate depending on the specific context.

Common error

While grammatically sound, relying too heavily on "infrequent occurrences" can make writing sound repetitive. Vary your vocabulary by using synonyms like "rare events" or "sporadic instances" to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "infrequent occurrences" functions as a noun phrase, where "infrequent" modifies the noun "occurrences". The phrase describes events or instances that happen rarely. Ludwig AI confirms its validity through numerous real-world examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

62%

News & Media

25%

Encyclopedias

8%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "infrequent occurrences" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to describe events that happen rarely. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is particularly prevalent in scientific and news-related contexts. While versatile, consider using synonyms such as "rare events" or "sporadic instances" for variety and to precisely convey the degree of rarity. Be mindful of overuse to maintain reader engagement. The phrase functions as a noun phrase and is primarily used to describe the low frequency of certain events or situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

rare events

Focuses on the rarity of specific events, emphasizing their uncommon nature.

sporadic instances

Highlights the isolated and scattered nature of the instances.

occasional instances

Suggests that the instances happen from time to time, but not regularly.

uncommon incidents

Emphasizes the unusual nature of the incidents.

isolated cases

Stresses the singularity and separation of the cases from a broader pattern.

seldom seen events

Focuses on the infrequency of witnessing the events.

exceptional situations

Highlights that the situations are an exception to the norm.

limited appearances

Emphasizes the constrained presence or visibility of something.

scant presence

Highlights the minimal amount or degree of existence.

minimal occurence

Directly indicates that the occurence is at the lowest possible amount or degree.

FAQs

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

"Infrequent occurrences" describes events or situations that do not happen often. For example, "The "infrequent occurrences of heavy snowfall" surprised the residents."

What can I say instead of "infrequent occurrences"?

You can use alternatives like "rare events", "sporadic instances", or "occasional instances" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "infrequent occurrences" or "rare occurrences"?

Both "infrequent occurrences" and "rare occurrences" are correct, but "rare occurrences" is more concise. The best choice depends on the specific tone and style of your writing.

What is the difference between "infrequent occurrences" and "occasional occurrences"?

"Infrequent occurrences" suggests that something happens rarely, while "occasional occurrences" implies that it happens from time to time, but not regularly. The degree of rarity differs slightly.