infrequently modify

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "infrequently modify" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe actions or changes that occur rarely or not often. Example: "The software updates infrequently modify the user interface, ensuring stability for long-term users."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

The purpose of RefSeq is to compensate for the fact that submitted genomes are largely archival documents, not maintained with respect to functional annotation and only infrequently modified to correct previous gene-calling errors.

Biology Direct

Such adaptive designs using accumulating data to modify the intervention's course 19 20 have been used infrequently in community-based evaluations.

BMJ Open

Measures that had been designed specifically for pregnancy were used infrequently, although scales were sometimes modified for the pregnant population.

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology

ERPs were recorded when subjects performed a change detection task in which the modified images were infrequently interspersed (p =.2) among the frequently (p =.8) presented unmodified images.

Behavioral and Brain Functions

Dose modification outside the standard dose requirements while occurring infrequently 50-700% of the pediatric caregivers modified dosages in only '1-20'1-20%atients') reflects individual patient factors.

BMC Pediatrics

In a modified oddball paradigm, two different deviant stimulus types were infrequently interspersed between frequently presented standard stimuli.

Behavioral and Brain Functions

First, to allow for easy cloning of ORFs into donor vectors, we modified the multiple cloning site on the donor vector to possess two restriction endonuclease sites that occur infrequently in mammalian cDNAs.

BMC Biotechnology

The past century has witnessed dramatic changes in the management of breast cancer, from an era when modified radical mastectomy was the norm to an era when mastectomy or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) is infrequently performed.

BioMed Research International

Reallocate infrequently.

The New York Times

Catastrophic disasters occur infrequently.

Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal

Specialists visit Vieques infrequently.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "infrequently modify", ensure the context clearly indicates that modifications are indeed expected, just not often. This sets a clear expectation for stability with occasional updates.

Common error

Avoid using "infrequently modify" when the implication is that something never changes. Choose language that reflects the possibility of change, however rare, to maintain accuracy.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "infrequently modify" functions as an adverb-verb construction. According to Ludwig, this combination correctly describes actions that involve changes or alterations that occur at rare intervals or on an irregular basis. This suggests a level of stability with occasional updates.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

43%

Academia

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "infrequently modify" is a grammatically correct way to describe actions or changes that occur rarely. According to Ludwig, it is usable in written English. While relatively uncommon, the phrase finds usage in diverse contexts, including science, news, and academic writing. For alternative expressions, consider options like "rarely alter" or "seldom change" depending on the nuance you wish to convey. Using the phrase effectively involves setting expectations for stability while acknowledging the potential for occasional updates.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

infrequently adjust

Keeps "infrequently" but swaps "modify" for "adjust", which means to make small changes.

rarely alter

This alternative uses a synonym for "modify" and an adverb indicating low frequency, similar to the original phrase.

seldom change

This option replaces "infrequently" with "seldom", another adverb of frequency, and "modify" with "change", a more general term.

scarcely modify

Emphasizes the rarity of the modification using "scarcely", a stronger adverb than "infrequently".

rarely revise

Uses synonyms for both words: "rarely" for "infrequently" and "revise" for "modify".

occasionally adjust

Replaces "infrequently" with "occasionally" and "modify" with "adjust", suggesting minor alterations at times.

uncommonly adapt

Replaces both words with close synonyms, suggesting adaptations are not common.

sporadically revise

This implies that revisions happen at irregular intervals rather than regularly but infrequently.

hardly ever alter

This alternative replaces "infrequently" with the stronger phrase "hardly ever" while keeping "alter" as a synonym for "modify".

almost never change

Suggests a very low probability of change, emphasizing stability.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "infrequently modify" for variety?

Consider using alternatives such as "rarely alter", "seldom change", or "occasionally adjust" to add nuance to your writing.

Is it better to say "infrequently modify" or "rarely modify"?

Both "infrequently modify" and "rarely modify" are grammatically correct. The choice depends on the specific context and the degree of infrequency you wish to convey. "Rarely" might suggest an even lower occurrence than "infrequently".

In what contexts is "infrequently modify" most appropriate?

"Infrequently modify" is suitable in contexts where changes are expected to be minimal and separated by significant periods, such as software updates, long-term strategies, or stable systems.

What's a more formal alternative to "infrequently modify"?

For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "sporadically revise" or "uncommonly adapt". These options offer a more elevated vocabulary while retaining the core meaning.