Meaning & use
regularly
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Meanings
adverbnot comparable
Again and again, at times that are fairly close together or follow a habit.
Grammar: Usually goes before the main verb or at the end: she regularly visits.
Patterns
- regularly do something
- meet regularly
She regularly visits her grandmother on Sundays.
The bus regularly arrives late.
He regularly forgets his keys.
adverbnot comparable
At equal gaps of time or space.
Grammar: Stresses an even pattern, not frequency.
Patterns
- regularly spaced
- at regular intervals
The trees were planted regularly along the road.
Check the smoke alarm regularly, once a month.
The pulse beat regularly, about seventy times a minute.
adverbnot comparableformal
In the proper or usual manner, following an accepted rule.
Grammar: Formal and legal use: regularly elected.
Patterns
- regularly elected
The officials were regularly elected under the charter.
The documents were regularly filed with the court.
The meeting was regularly called with proper notice.
Common combinations
- exercise regularly
- Doctors advise you to exercise regularly.
- meet regularly
- The committee meets regularly on Tuesdays.
- regularly scheduled
- The regularly scheduled flight was canceled.
- update regularly
- The site is updated regularly.
- check regularly
- Check your tire pressure regularly.
Synonyms and how they differ
- frequently
- Frequently means often but not necessarily at fixed times, while regularly implies a pattern.
- routinely
- Routinely stresses that something is part of normal procedure, often without much thought.
- periodically
- Periodically means from time to time at intervals that may be wide apart.
- habitually
- Habitually suggests a personal habit, often a slightly bad one.
Opposites
Word family
- regular adjective
- happening at even intervals; usual
- regularity noun
- the quality of being regular
- regulate verb
- to control by rules
- irregularly adverb
- not at even intervals
Commonly confused: regularly or frequently?
regularly vs frequently
Frequently is about how often; regularly is about a steady pattern, which might even be rare, like every four years.
Practice
The Olympic Games take place ___, every four years.
Choose one answer.
Regularly means at even intervals, which fits the four-year pattern. Rarely suggests infrequent but not necessarily patterned, so it is the tempting wrong option.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “regularly”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.