second most often

USAGE SUMMARY

"second most often" is correct and can be used in written English.
For example, "The second most often used word in the English language is 'be'."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

Second most often, they use them to send text messages or e-mail.

The New York Times - Tech

The second most often cited reason for contracting out was to solve labor problems with unionized government employees.

Harvard Business Review

The second most often seen canal was Daemon, coincident with the chaos at the origin of Valles Marineris.

Nature

Mobile devices do indeed make us more mobile, but that tether is also a leash, letting everyone know that they can get you at any second, most often to tell you they are late, but on their way.

The New York Times

Macular scar observed in five eyes (15.6%) was the second most often complication.

Journal of Ophthalmic Inflammation and Infection

Among milk producers, a competitive producer price was the second most often stated benefit after a stable market channel.

Agricultural and Food Economics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

The second most often-occurring tumour type of the hand is the chondrosarcoma.

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

Sixth, most often, such methods expose people to kinds of media they would not otherwise consume.

MIT Technology Review

(A nifty interactive graphic on NYTimes.com shows that "women" was the keyword mentioned third most often Tuesday night – after Obama and work).

The New York Times

Fourth, most often OOPs are observed for if a coder PCC is QS or for the corresponding bpp.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

Indeed, the issue selected third most often (by 44%) is problems with understanding or explaining how the system worked due to cross-language links.

Journal of Software Engineering Research and Development

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "second most often", ensure that the context clearly establishes what is being measured for frequency. This provides clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "second most often" without clearly specifying the group or category being evaluated. For example, instead of saying "It's the second most often choice", specify "It's the second most often choice among college students".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "second most often" functions as an adverbial modifier indicating the frequency of an action or state relative to others. Ludwig examples show it qualifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, providing information on how often something occurs in relation to the most frequent occurrence.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

57%

News & Media

43%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "second most often" is a grammatically correct and useful phrase for indicating relative frequency, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. While it appears most frequently in scientific and news-related contexts, its neutral register allows for versatile use. To ensure clarity, always specify the context or category being compared. When aiming for variety, consider using alternatives such as "next most frequent" or "second most common".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

second most common

Replaces 'often' with 'common', focusing on the general prevalence of something.

second most frequent

A more formal alternative using 'frequent' instead of 'often'.

next most frequent

Emphasizes sequential order in terms of frequency rather than direct comparison.

second highest in frequency

More verbose, highlighting the high ranking in a frequency count.

next in line most often

Introduces the idea of succession or order related to how often something occurs.

the second greatest frequency

Focuses on the magnitude of frequency, using 'greatest' to emphasize quantity.

second from the top in frequency

Uses a spatial metaphor to indicate ranking in frequency.

subsequent most often

Indicates that something occurs after the most frequent event but still frequently.

following most often

Similar to 'subsequent', but with a stronger sense of direct sequence.

runner-up in frequency

Employs a competition metaphor to denote the second position in frequency.

FAQs

How can I use "second most often" in a sentence?

You can use "second most often" to describe the frequency of an event or item relative to others. For instance, "The second most often cited reason for the company's success is its customer service".

What's a more formal way to say "second most often"?

A more formal alternative to "second most often" is "second most frequent". This maintains a professional tone while conveying the same meaning.

Which is correct, "second most often" or "most second often"?

"Second most often" is the correct and idiomatic phrasing. "Most second often" is grammatically incorrect.

What can I say instead of "second most often" to vary my writing?

To add variety, consider using alternatives such as "next most frequent" or "second most common" depending on the specific context.