really rare

USAGE SUMMARY

"really rare" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to emphasize the fact that something is extremely hard to come by. For example, "This type of antique vase is really rare and valuable."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

That's really, really rare".

The New Yorker

It's really rare.

The New York Times

It's a really rare disease.

The New York Times - Magazine

This is really rare now.

The Guardian - Film

And these are really rare.

The New York Times - Arts

"That sort of loyalty is really rare".

The New York Times - Magazine

"And, I now realize, really rare.

The New York Times

"I had some really rare eggs.

The New Yorker

"A really, really rare one that's black".

The New York Times

"In truth, anorexia is really rare.

The New York Times - Health

"This is a really rare event.

The Guardian - Business

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "really rare" to emphasize the scarcity or infrequency of something, making sure the context clearly indicates what is uncommon. For instance, "Finding a company that's been bootstrapped since day one is "really rare"".

Common error

Avoid using "really rare" excessively in formal writing, as it can sound less sophisticated. Opt for more precise synonyms like "exceptionally scarce" or "remarkably infrequent" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "really rare" is to act as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun. Ludwig AI shows that it emphasizes the scarcity, infrequency, or uniqueness of the noun it describes.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

79%

Science

12%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "really rare" is a grammatically correct and commonly used adjectival phrase to emphasize the scarcity or infrequency of something. Ludwig AI confirms that it's widely used in various contexts, especially in News & Media. While suitable for general use, it's important to consider the context: for more formal or academic writing, you may want to use synonyms such as "exceptionally scarce" or "remarkably infrequent". Remember to use "really rare" when you want to stress that something is truly uncommon, but avoid overuse to keep your writing clear and impactful.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

extremely uncommon

Replaces "rare" with "uncommon" and "really" with "extremely" to intensify the sense of infrequency.

exceptionally scarce

Uses "scarce" instead of "rare" and "exceptionally" to emphasize the limited availability.

remarkably infrequent

Substitutes "rare" with "infrequent" and employs "remarkably" to highlight the unusual occurrence.

singularly unique

Emphasizes the distinctiveness by using "unique" instead of "rare" and reinforcing it with "singularly".

distinctively unusual

Highlights the deviation from the norm by replacing "rare" with "unusual" and adding "distinctively".

genuinely atypical

Focuses on the deviation from the typical, using "atypical" instead of "rare" and reinforcing it with "genuinely".

incredibly limited

Shifts the focus to the limited quantity or availability, using "limited" and intensifying it with "incredibly".

virtually nonexistent

Suggests that something is close to not existing by using "nonexistent" and emphasizing it with "virtually".

highly exceptional

Emphasizes the quality of being an exception using "exceptional" and intensifying it with "highly".

uncommonly special

Highlights the uniqueness and value by using "special" and indicating its infrequent nature with "uncommonly".

FAQs

How can I use "really rare" in a sentence?

You can use "really rare" to emphasize how uncommon something is. For example, "A naturally blue rose is /s/extremely+uncommon" or "experiencing a total solar eclipse is /s/exceptionally+scarce".

What's the difference between "really rare" and /s/very+rare?

"Really rare" and "very rare" are similar, but "really rare" might suggest a slightly stronger emphasis on the infrequency or scarcity.

What are some alternatives to using "really rare"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "extremely uncommon", "exceptionally scarce", or "remarkably infrequent" instead of "really rare".

Is it grammatically correct to say "really rare"?

Yes, it's grammatically correct. "Really" is an adverb that modifies the adjective "rare", so the phrase follows standard English grammar rules.