while infrequently

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "while infrequently" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something occurs occasionally or not often, typically in a context where you are contrasting it with something that happens more regularly. Example: "The team meets for brainstorming sessions while infrequently, they still manage to generate innovative ideas."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Thus, most alterations of genome sequence that accumulate within a host would be expected to have a minimum adverse consequence for bacterial expression patterns within the host, while infrequently increasing fitness of the mutant individual.

BMC Genomics

5 The well-known potential side effects of topical steroids including systemic absorption, thinning of the skin, telangiectasia, striae, rosacea, and acne, 6 while infrequently encountered, are often unacceptable to patients and parents.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology

These results fit with previous observations that strains of type IB, II, and III, while infrequently isolated from acneic skin, appear more typically associated with blood, soft tissue, medical implant, endodontic infections, and normal skin [ 17– 19, 31– 33], although the clinical relevance of these associations remains unclear in many instances.

BioMed Research International

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

While only infrequently mentioning the United States by name on Tuesday, Mr. Ahmadinejad made it clear that he blamed Washington and its allies for trying to "impose their political will on nations and governments".

The New York Times

While he infrequently acts outside of projects that he has written himself, Louis C. K. has made exceptions; he has appeared as a recurring character on NBC's "Parks and Recreation" and also has a role in an as-yet untitled Woody Allen movie.

The New York Times

In fact, solid and cavitary nodules may regress or resolve completely, while cysts infrequently show improvement on follow-up CT studies [33].

Insights into Imaging

The frequently disturbed forest had been cleared for shifting cultivation 3 5 times in the past 30 years while the infrequently disturbed sites had been cleared only once.

Forest Ecology and Management

While they infrequently acknowledge the missing, Nigeria's military regularly reports rescuing hundreds and even thousands of captives from Boko Haram custody.

Huffington Post

Dose modification outside the standard dose requirements while occurring infrequently 50-700% of the pediatric caregivers modified dosages in only '1-20'1-20%atients') reflects individual patient factors.

BMC Pediatrics

Here we report that LOH at the RB1 locus occurs at a high frequency in human basal-like and luminal B tumours, while occurring infrequently in luminal A and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2 -enriched tumours.

Breast Cancer Research

Occasionally patients present with dull pain or drainage from a prior extraction socket, or from a chronic irritation beneath a denture base, while some infrequently appear with expansion of the native bone [ 9, 10].

BMC Oral Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "while infrequently", ensure the contrast introduced by "while" is clear and meaningful. The phrase works best when highlighting an exception to a more common occurrence or general rule.

Common error

Avoid using "while infrequently" when there's no clear contrast being made. The "while" implies a comparison, so make sure the sentence provides a balanced view to prevent confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "while infrequently" functions as an adverbial conjunction phrase. It modifies a clause by indicating the frequency of an event in contrast to another, often more common, occurrence. According to Ludwig, this phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

67%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "while infrequently" is grammatically sound but not widely used, with a higher prevalence in scientific and news contexts. It functions as an adverbial conjunction, used to draw a contrast by indicating that something occurs less often than something else. Ludwig highlights that the phrase is correct. For more common and easily understood alternatives, consider "although rarely" or "even though seldom". Remember to use this phrase when you want to express a contrast between the rarity of one event against another possible occurrence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

although uncommonly

This alternative replaces "infrequently" with "uncommonly", maintaining a similar level of formality and meaning.

even though rarely

This option uses "rarely" instead of "infrequently", which is a more common and easily understood word.

while seldom

Replacing "infrequently" with "seldom" offers a slightly more archaic but still acceptable alternative.

though sporadically

This suggests that the action happens at irregular intervals.

even if sporadically

Expresses a sense of occasional occurrence, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of the action.

although occasionally

Substitutes "infrequently" with "occasionally", implying that the event occurs now and then.

while not often

This is a straightforward substitution, replacing "infrequently" with the phrase "not often".

even though not frequently

It uses a more verbose but equally valid alternative.

though at times

Indicates that the event happens sometimes, without being necessarily frequent.

although uniquely

This indicates a situation that happens only in some cases that is not the main goal of infrequently.

FAQs

How can I use "while infrequently" in a sentence?

Use "while infrequently" to show something happens at a low rate compared to something else. For example, "The side effects are severe, "while infrequently" encountered" shows the contrast between severity and the rarity of the event.

What are some alternatives to "while infrequently"?

You can use alternatives like "although rarely", "even though seldom", or "though sporadically" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "while infrequently" or "although rarely"?

Both "while infrequently" and "although rarely" are grammatically correct, but "although rarely" might be more common and easily understood in general conversation.

What is the difference between "while infrequently" and "infrequently"?

"Infrequently" simply means not often. "While infrequently" introduces a contrast, suggesting something else happens more often or is generally expected. The "while" adds a comparative element.