rarely successful

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "rarely successful" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It is used to describe something that does not commonly or frequently achieve success. Example: "Despite his numerous attempts, John was rarely successful in achieving his goal of becoming a professional athlete."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Normal people are rarely successful, and what success they do enjoy is often tainted by their discomfort in life".

Huffington Post

They are rarely successful.

The Economist

Subpoena challenges, however, are rarely successful.

The New York Times

Also, analysts said hostile takeovers for banks were rarely successful.

The New York Times

Still less does it matter that they are rarely successful.

The Economist

Also, analysts and advisers said, hostile takeovers of banks are rarely successful.

The New York Times

The former is found in relatively expensive restaurants, and is only rarely successful.

The New York Times - Travel

Mr. Cheng, 67, has 10 days to appeal his sentence, but such appeals are rarely successful.

The New York Times

Legal scholars say such defenses are rarely allowed by judges and are rarely successful with juries.

The New York Times - Science

Forced assimilation is rarely successful, and it generally has enduring negative consequences for the recipient culture.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Although rarely successful, treatment with psoralens and ultraviolet radiation has restored pigmentation.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "rarely successful", ensure the context clearly defines what constitutes success in that situation. This provides clarity and prevents ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "rarely successful" when the situation is one of complete failure. "Rarely successful" implies some degree of success, however infrequent. If there is no success at all, use stronger language like "completely unsuccessful" or "failed entirely".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "rarely successful" functions as an adverbial modifier describing the degree to which something achieves success. As Ludwig AI shows, this can apply to a wide variety of attempts, strategies, and actions. It indicates that successes are infrequent.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

59%

Science

29%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "rarely successful" is a grammatically correct and common expression used to describe situations where success is infrequent. Analysis from Ludwig shows it's used across diverse contexts, including news, science, and encyclopedias, with authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Guardian frequently employing it. While versatile, this expression implies some degree of success, distinguishing it from terms like "unsuccessful". Ludwig AI confirms that its appropriate for neutral registers, advising clarity in defining "success" and caution against overstating failure. Related phrases such as "seldom achieves its goals" offer ways to convey similar meanings with slight differences in emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

experiences limited success

Uses a direct substitute by focusing on limited quantity of success

seldom achieves its goals

Replaces "rarely successful" with a phrase that focuses on the lack of goal achievement.

infrequently comes to fruition

Substitutes "rarely successful" with a phrase emphasizing the infrequent realization of plans or efforts.

scarcely manages to succeed

Uses "scarcely" to emphasize the minimal chance of success.

hardly ever works out

Employs a more informal expression to convey the idea that something almost never succeeds.

does not often prosper

Replaces "rarely successful" by focusing on the lack of prosperity or thriving.

unlikely to be effective

Shifts the focus from past success to future effectiveness, implying a low probability of succeeding.

achieves only sporadic wins

Indicates success is not consistent, but occasional

tends to fail

Replaces "rarely successful" with a phrase that shows the tendency towards failure.

meets with failure more often than not

Replaces "rarely successful" with an alternative that emphasizes the higher frequency of failure.

FAQs

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

You can use "rarely successful" to describe actions, strategies, or attempts that do not usually achieve the desired outcome. For instance, "Appeals from decisions by the Supreme Court not to review lower court rulings are "rarely successful"."

What are some alternatives to "rarely successful"?

Alternatives include phrases like "seldom achieves its goals", "infrequently comes to fruition", or "experiences limited success", depending on the desired nuance.

Is it correct to say "seldom successful" instead of "rarely successful"?

Yes, "seldom successful" is a valid alternative and carries a similar meaning to ""rarely successful"". Both indicate that success is infrequent.

What's the difference between "rarely successful" and "unsuccessful"?

"Rarely successful" implies that there are some instances of success, though infrequent. "Unsuccessful" suggests a complete lack of success.