seldom able to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "seldom able to" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone rarely has the ability or opportunity to do something. Example: "She is seldom able to attend the meetings due to her busy schedule."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

44 human-written examples

The Spartan defense was seldom able to get to Theis mann.

The New York Times

She is profoundly uninterested in moving pictures and is seldom able to sit through one.

The New Yorker

Letting gays wed will undermine marriage, they say, but they are seldom able to explain how.

The New York Times

Public health officials likewise say they hear of dozens of such killings but are seldom able to confirm them.

The New York Times

Partly because they typically earn less than whites, African-American married couples are seldom able to indulge.

The New York Times

But Nureyev was seldom able to mend things, because he was in Paris only half the year.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

16 human-written examples

He seldom was able to throw a right hand after that.

The New York Times - Sports

The faculty understands that students will seldom be able to produce work comparable to most published scholarship within the time constraints of a seminar, but many seminar papers do eventually become the basis of published articles, dissertations, or books.

Columbia University

Clinton often revisits the role played by sexism and misogyny in her defeat, writing with the sort of freedom she seldom felt able to express on the campaign trail.

The Guardian

Rory Delap's long throw is Stoke's equivalent of Andy Roberts's throat ball or Joel Garner's yorker and although this was the first goal it has produced this season, Liverpool seldom looked able to deal with it.

The Guardian - Sport

With the departure of President Obama, the District will also lose its most powerful defender against the whims of a ­Republican-dominated Congress, which will find itself newly empowered to assert control over the city's budget and legislation in a way it has seldom been able to do over the past decade.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider replacing "seldom able to" with alternatives like "rarely capable of" or "infrequently able to" for variety in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "seldom able to" when the situation implies complete inability. "Seldom" suggests occasional possibility, not utter impossibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "seldom able to" functions as an adjective phrase modifying a verb, indicating the infrequency or rarity of someone's ability to perform an action. As Ludwig AI indicates, this construction is grammatically sound and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Science

28%

Formal & Business

7%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Encyclopedias

2%

Academia

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "seldom able to" is a grammatically correct and frequently used expression, as affirmed by Ludwig AI. It serves to indicate that an individual or entity rarely has the ability or opportunity to perform a certain action. Predominantly found in News & Media and Science contexts, it maintains a neutral register suitable for professional writing. While versatile, ensure the context aligns with the nuanced meaning of occasional possibility rather than complete inability. Alternatives such as "rarely able to" or "infrequently able to" offer stylistic variations while retaining semantic equivalence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

infrequently able to

Replaces "seldom" with "infrequently", a synonym indicating a similar low frequency.

rarely capable of

Substitutes "able" with "capable", emphasizing the lack of ability rather than opportunity.

hardly ever able to

Uses "hardly ever" for a more emphatic expression of infrequency.

rarely in a position to

Shifts the focus to the circumstances that prevent the action, rather than the ability itself.

not often able to

A more straightforward and less formal way of expressing the same meaning.

occasionally able to

Indicates an even lower frequency than "seldom", suggesting it happens very infrequently.

infrequently in a position to

Combines the ideas of infrequency and circumstance, similar to "rarely in a position to".

scarcely equipped to

Focuses on the lack of resources or skills required to perform the action.

unlikely to be able to

Changes from a statement of frequency to a statement of probability.

not usually able to

Replaces "seldom" with "not usually" indicating the action is not something typically done.

FAQs

How can I use "seldom able to" in a sentence?

You can use "seldom able to" to indicate that someone or something has rare opportunities or the capability to do something. For instance: "She is seldom able to attend the meetings due to her busy schedule."

What are some alternatives to "seldom able to"?

Alternatives include "rarely able to", "infrequently able to", or "hardly ever able to", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is "seldom able to" formal or informal?

"Seldom able to" is generally considered neutral to slightly formal. It is suitable for both professional and academic writing.

What is the difference between "seldom able to" and "rarely able to"?

The difference is subtle. Both indicate infrequency, but "seldom" might suggest a slightly lower frequency or a sense of something being unusual, while "rarely able to" simply means "not often".