more than once

USAGE SUMMARY

"more than once" is perfectly acceptable to use in written English.
You can use it when you want to indicate that something has been done multiple times. For example: "I've told him the same thing more than once, but he still doesn't listen."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Much more than once.

The New Yorker

More than once.

The New York Times

A. More than once.

The New York Times

That happened more than once.

The New York Times - Sports

"She's run more than once.

The New Yorker

— and probably more than once.

The New York Times - Health

More than once, I saw tears".

The New York Times

(Viewers can vote more than once).

The New York Times

"He had requested this more than once".

The New York Times

I have encountered him more than once.

The New Yorker

He did it more than once.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "more than once" to clearly indicate that an action or event has occurred on multiple separate occasions, avoiding ambiguity about the frequency.

Common error

Be mindful of using "more than once" in close proximity to other phrases that indicate repetition. Overusing repetitive language can make your writing sound awkward or less impactful.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "more than once" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to indicate frequency. As Ludwig AI explains, this highlights that an action or event has been repeated on multiple occasions.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Wiki

35%

Science

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "more than once" is a versatile adverbial phrase that effectively conveys the repetition of an action or event. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is perfectly acceptable in written English and suitable for indicating that something has been done multiple times. It is commonly found in news, wiki, and scientific sources. While grammatically correct and widely used, it's important to be mindful of potential redundancy with other frequency adverbs. For more formal contexts, alternatives such as "on multiple occasions" may be preferable. Remember to use "more than once" to add clarity and emphasis to your writing when highlighting repeated occurrences.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

repeatedly

This single word directly implies that something happens many times.

several times

A simple and direct way to indicate that something happened more than one or two times.

on multiple occasions

This alternative is more formal and emphasizes that the event occurred on several separate instances.

on more than one occasion

Similar to "on multiple occasions", this alternative emphasizes the separate instances of the event.

quite a few times

This alternative suggests the event happened a considerable number of times.

frequently

This suggests that the event happened often, possibly with regularity.

over and over

This phrase stresses the repetitive nature of the event, suggesting it happened many times consecutively.

in several instances

This alternative emphasizes specific cases where the event occurred.

time and again

This idiom conveys the idea that something has happened many times, potentially causing frustration.

many a time

This literary alternative denotes numerous occurrences in the past.

FAQs

How can I use "more than once" in a sentence?

Use "more than once" to indicate that something has occurred on multiple occasions. For example, "I've told him "more than once", but he still forgets".

What are some alternatives to "more than once"?

You can use alternatives like "repeatedly", "several times", or "on multiple occasions" depending on the context.

Is it redundant to use "more than once" with other frequency adverbs?

While not strictly incorrect, using "more than once" with adverbs like "frequently" or "often" can be redundant. Choose the clearest and most concise way to express the frequency you intend.

Which is more formal, "more than once" or "on multiple occasions"?

"On multiple occasions" tends to be more formal and suitable for professional or academic writing, while ""more than once"" is generally acceptable in most contexts.