seldom few

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "seldom few" is not correct in standard English usage.
The term "seldom" means rarely, which contradicts the idea of "few," making the phrase redundant. Example: "There are seldom few opportunities for advancement in this company."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

The low price of the paperback, which moved books for the first time into the area of impulse buying, is due essentially to the large number printed, seldom fewer than 30,000 and frequently far more, and not, as is often supposed, to the use of paper instead of a hard cover for the binding.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Seders at home seldom had fewer than a dozen people around the table: grandparents, aunts, uncles, unmarried friends of my parents – and when we lived in Memphis, far from the rest of the family, a complement of Jewish sailors or airmen from the naval base at Millington.

The Guardian - Opinion

Claims dragged on, but hearings seldom exceeded a few blurred minutes, rarely proved conclusive and were conducted in baffling shorthand.

The New York Times

But seldom, until a few days ago, has the line been so sharply drawn between those who are welcome and those who are not.

The New York Times

In unlimited polytheism, the number of gods that are actually worshipped seldom exceeds a few hundred within one religion, but in theory, as in India, millions and millions of gods may be thought to exist.

Encyclopedia Britannica

You would never know, driving around the new areas of Eastleigh or Fareham, that you were in arguably the densest urban area in the country – no tall buildings, no cultural facilities, very seldom anything "modern", few people on the streets.

The Guardian - Opinion

You could buy a few Seldom Seen mugs for guests, and carry them around on an REM drinks tray, then perhaps transfer them on to Beatles album sleeve coasters to save the finish on your coffee table.

The Guardian - Music

But they used it so seldom — only a few weeks out of the year, he said — that they decided to sell, hoping the buyer will leave it as they have: undisturbed.

The New York Times

Exchange did transcend both local and regional-scale communities, but movement of goods seldom exceeded a few kilometers.

Journal of Anthropological Archaeology

Although we seldom talked politics, few seemed happy with the current state of their Islamic "republic," and yet everyone was hopeful that President Hassan Rouhani was opening doors to the West.

Huffington Post

This is especially true when the measurements have been genome-wide, which means that they comprise data from thousands of units/genes, while the number of measurements for one condition seldom exceeds a few hundred.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "seldom few" in your writing. Opt for grammatically correct alternatives like "hardly any" or "very few" to maintain clarity and credibility.

Common error

Do not combine "seldom" and "few" as they create a redundant and grammatically incorrect phrase. "Seldom" already implies infrequency, making "few" unnecessary and confusing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "seldom few" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI's analysis indicates that it's not a standard or accepted construction in English.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "seldom few" is considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. As Ludwig AI points out, combining "seldom", which means rarely, with "few" creates redundancy and grammatical awkwardness. It's advisable to use alternative phrases like "hardly any", "very few", or "rarely any" to convey the intended meaning of scarcity or infrequency with greater clarity and grammatical accuracy. Therefore, avoid using "seldom few" in formal writing or speech.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hardly any

Emphasizes the near absence of something.

very few

Highlights the small quantity of something.

rarely any

Focuses on the infrequent occurrence of something.

almost none

Stresses the virtual non-existence of something.

scarcely any

Indicates a limited or insufficient amount of something.

infrequently a few

Suggests that the events are not common.

seldom more than a handful

Replaces 'few' with 'handful' to make the statement grammatically correct.

seldom exceeding a couple

Replaces 'few' with 'couple' to make the statement grammatically correct.

hardly ever any

Replaces 'seldom' and 'few' with equivalent words to correct grammar.

not very many

Conveys scarcity using common language.

FAQs

What does "seldom" mean?

"Seldom" means rarely or not often. It indicates that something does not happen frequently.

What can I say instead of "seldom few"?

Instead of "seldom few", use phrases like "hardly any", "very few", or "rarely any" to express a similar meaning with correct grammar.

Is "seldom few" grammatically correct?

No, "seldom few" is not grammatically correct. The word "seldom" already implies a small quantity or infrequent occurrence, so adding "few" is redundant.

How can I use "seldom" correctly in a sentence?

Use "seldom" to modify a verb, indicating that an action rarely happens. For example, "I seldom go to the movies" or "She seldom eats fast food".