rarely a year

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "rarely a year" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something happens infrequently, specifically not more than once a year. Example: "The company rarely a year holds a major event to celebrate its achievements."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Rarely a year goes by without major airline accidents, and most Iranian planes, including the 727, are forbidden to operate within the European Union.

The New York Times

"Any art school teacher will say that rarely a year goes by without coming across someone who is interesting," he says.

The Guardian - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

In her new year address Merkel said "there has rarely been a year in which we were challenged so much to follow up our words with deeds".

The Guardian

To critics, the price of that track record is clear: Because it is financially and artistically conservative, they say, Paramount rarely finishes a year with the largest slice of box-office revenue or produces a runaway smash.

The New York Times

As he warms up, he formulates a distinctly Houellebecqian, furtively puritanical world view: Love as a kind of innocence and as a capacity for illusion, as an aptitude for epitomizing the whole of the other sex in a single loved being rarely resists a year of sexual immorality, and never two.

The New Yorker

As he warms up, he formulates a distinctly Houellebecqian, furtively puritanical world view: **{:.break one} ** Love as a kind of innocence and as a capacity for illusion, as an aptitude for epitomizing the whole of the other sex in a single loved being rarely resists a year of sexual immorality, and never two.

The New Yorker

66 percent mention it rarely, once a year or never 26percentt speak about it several times a year 4percentt mention it about once a month 3percenttalklk about it several times a month.

Huffington Post

It's rarely a quiet year at BBC radio, which this year broadcast Life & Fate, the Listening Project, Hackney Weekend, 2Day and a record-breaking Proms season.

The Guardian

"Now, they rarely have one a year".

The New York Times

Contracts were rarely longer than a year or two, many riders were paid wages below the poverty level, and the racing season was relentlessly long.

The New York Times - Sports

In those poor Soviet republics, where average income rarely tops $600 a year, it has replaced its weaker cousin, opium, as the drug of choice.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "rarely a year", ensure the context clearly establishes a yearly timeframe for the infrequency. For example, "Rarely a year goes by without a new software update."

Common error

Avoid assuming "rarely a year" automatically implies a negative connotation. The statement simply indicates infrequency within a year and does not inherently suggest a problem or concern. Its interpretation will depend on the context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "rarely a year" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb or clause, indicating the infrequency of an event's occurrence within a yearly timeframe. As evidenced by Ludwig, this emphasizes that the event happens seldom during the period of one year.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Science

29%

Formal & Business

18%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "rarely a year" is a grammatically sound and usable expression that indicates something happens infrequently, no more than once a year. Though perfectly valid, it may occasionally be seen as slightly informal and therefore benefits from the awareness of more formal alternatives like "infrequently within a year". As confirmed by Ludwig, the expression sees usage across diverse sources such as News, Science and Formal writing, emphasizing the importance of understanding its subtle implications depending on the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost never in a year

Replaces "rarely" with "almost never", emphasizing the infrequency.

infrequently within a year

Substitutes "rarely" with "infrequently", a more formal synonym.

seldom during a year

Uses "seldom" instead of "rarely", offering a slightly more literary tone.

hardly ever in one year

Emphasizes the lack of occurrence by using "hardly ever".

scarcely in a year

Replaces "rarely" with "scarcely", highlighting the minimal occurrence.

not often within a year

Uses a more straightforward expression of infrequency.

uncommonly in a year

Employs "uncommonly" as a substitute for "rarely".

on rare occasions in a year

Expresses the idea with a more elaborate phrase.

it's unusual for a year

Shifts the structure to emphasize the unusual nature of the event.

not frequently during a year

Uses "not frequently" to convey the lack of regular occurrence.

FAQs

How can I use "rarely a year" in a sentence?

Use "rarely a year" to describe something that happens infrequently, specifically not more than once per year. For instance: "Rarely a year passes without a major technological breakthrough."

What's a more formal way to say "rarely a year"?

A more formal alternative to "rarely a year" is "infrequently within a year" or "seldom during a year", which maintains a similar meaning but with a more elevated tone.

Is it always appropriate to use "rarely a year"?

While grammatically correct, "rarely a year" might sound slightly awkward in very formal contexts. Consider alternatives like "almost never in a year" for enhanced clarity and flow.

What are some common synonyms for "rarely a year"?

Synonyms include "hardly ever in one year", "scarcely in a year", and "not often within a year", which all convey a sense of infrequency within an annual timeframe.