Meaning & use
frequent
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Happening or done often.
Grammar: Usually before a noun: frequent visits.
Patterns
- frequent visits to somewhere
Frequent rain delayed the match.
She is a frequent visitor to the library.
Buses here are frequent.
verbtransitiveformal
To go to a place often.
Grammar: Takes an object: they frequent that cafe.
Patterns
- frequent a place
Artists used to frequent this cafe.
He frequents the gym before work.
Birds frequent the garden in winter.
Word forms
| comparative | more frequent |
|---|---|
| superlative | most frequent |
| third person singular | frequents |
| past tense | frequented |
| -ing form | frequenting |
Common combinations
- frequent flyer
- He is a frequent flyer with the airline.
- frequent visitor
- She is a frequent visitor to the museum.
- frequent changes
- Frequent changes confused the staff.
- frequent occurrence
- Power cuts are a frequent occurrence.
- frequent use
- Frequent use wears out the buttons.
Synonyms and how they differ
- regular
- Regular suggests a steady pattern, while frequent just means often.
- common
- Common means found in many cases, while frequent means repeated in time.
- repeated
- Repeated stresses that something happens again, not how close the repeats are.
- constant
- Constant suggests it almost never stops, which is stronger than frequent.
Opposites
Word family
- frequently adverb
- often
- frequency noun
- how often something happens
- infrequent adjective
- not happening often
- frequenter noun
- a person who goes to a place often
Commonly confused: frequent or frequently?
frequent vs frequently
Frequently is the adverb used with verbs, while frequent is the adjective used with nouns.
Practice
Which sentence is correct?
Choose one answer.
Frequent is an adjective, so it goes before the noun visits. The other sentences misuse it or lack verb agreement.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “frequent”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.