surprisingly infrequent

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "surprisingly infrequent" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that occurs less often than one might expect, often implying an element of surprise. Example: "Despite the popularity of the event, rain on that day was surprisingly infrequent over the years."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Just as Washington has been elusive and mercurial to his biographers, so he has been a surprisingly infrequent subject of articles in our archive.

The New Yorker

These medical scenes are competent but forgettable, while the scenes of Charlie's peregrinations are sometimes interesting and funny but surprisingly infrequent.

The New York Times - Arts

Given the ease with which words can be shared across languages, horizontal transfer at this level is surprisingly infrequent; languages maintain their integrity despite the possibility of a foreign onslaught (Pagel and Mace 2004).

Evolution: Education and Outreach

48 49 Taking into account the possible methodological challenges and limitations of QoL research, especially when dealing with LIS patients, our data show that a non-negligible group of chronic LIS survivors self-report a meaningful life and their demands for euthanasia are surprisingly infrequent.

BMJ Open

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

However, the prevalence of CPPD appears to vary in different regions - with, surprisingly, relatively infrequent knee and wrist CPPD in Beijing, China, despite elevated prevalence of knee OA in the Chinese in Beijing relative to whites in Framingham, MA, USA [ 6].

Arthritis Research and Therapy

Not surprisingly, GASES were an infrequent add-on order in the outpatient clinics but were the fourth most common overall add-on order.

BMC Clinical Pathology

In this large cross-sectional study high caffeine consumption was associated with increased prevalence of infrequent headache, whereas chronic headache surprisingly was less likely among individual with high caffeine consumption.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

But even among younger, infrequent yoga practitioners, tight hamstrings are surprisingly widespread.

HuffPost

Compared with today's bears, this ancient creature, named Indarctos arctoides, had a surprisingly large penis bone that suggests it had infrequent but long-lasting sex sessions, the study found.

Huffington Post

There was still infrequent dosing of the PLCγ inhibitor and surprisingly only one additional dose of the PI3K inhibitor, BKM120.

CPT: Pharmacometrics and Systems Pharmacology

PE classes went from infrequent to a district-best 30 minutes per day; not surprisingly, their students' success in state fitness testing soared.

HuffPost

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "surprisingly infrequent" when you want to emphasize that something occurs less often than one might anticipate, adding an element of unexpectedness to the infrequency.

Common error

While grammatically correct, "surprisingly infrequent" can sound somewhat informal in certain academic or professional contexts. Consider using a more formal alternative like "unexpectedly uncommon" or "remarkably rare" to maintain a more sophisticated tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "surprisingly infrequent" functions as an adverbial modifier followed by an adjective. The adverb "surprisingly" modifies the adjective "infrequent", intensifying its meaning and indicating that the lack of frequency is unexpected. Ludwig AI confirms this usage, providing examples from various sources.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "surprisingly infrequent" is a grammatically correct and usable expression in English. Ludwig AI indicates that it is used to describe events or occurrences that happen less often than expected, adding an element of surprise. While its frequency is relatively low, it appears in various contexts, predominantly in news and scientific publications. For more formal writing, synonyms like "unexpectedly uncommon" or "remarkably rare" might be preferable. The phrase effectively conveys that something is rarer than anticipated, making it a useful tool in descriptive writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

surprisingly rare

More direct synonym, swapping 'infrequent' with 'rare'.

unusually infrequent

Emphasizes the departure from the norm in terms of frequency.

unexpectedly uncommon

Emphasizes the lack of expectation surrounding the rarity.

remarkably rare

Highlights the unusual nature of the infrequency.

astonishingly uncommon

Stresses the surprise element with a stronger adjective.

unexpectedly scarce

Focuses on the limited availability or occurrence.

surprisingly sporadic

Highlights the irregularity and infrequency of occurrence.

surprisingly few and far between

Idiomatic expression emphasizing the rarity and separation of occurrences.

unexpectedly minimal

Focuses on the reduced amount or frequency of something.

surprisingly negligible

Indicates the occurrence is so infrequent it's practically insignificant.

FAQs

How can I use "surprisingly infrequent" in a sentence?

You can use "surprisingly infrequent" to describe events or occurrences that happen less often than expected. For example: "Despite its complexity, software malfunction was surprisingly infrequent."

What are some alternatives to "surprisingly infrequent"?

Alternatives include "unexpectedly rare", "remarkably uncommon", or "astonishingly infrequent", depending on the level of emphasis you want to convey.

Is "surprisingly infrequent" formal or informal?

"Surprisingly infrequent" leans towards a neutral to slightly informal tone. For more formal contexts, consider alternatives like "unexpectedly uncommon" or "remarkably rare".

What does "surprisingly infrequent" imply?

It implies that something occurs less often than one would expect, adding a sense of unexpectedness or mild astonishment to the lack of frequency. It suggests that the rarity is notable or contrary to assumptions.