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Unusual vs Seldom - What's the difference?

unusual | seldom |

As adjectives the difference between unusual and seldom

is that unusual is unlike what is expected; differing in some way from the norm while seldom is (obsolete) rare; infrequent.

As an adverb seldom is

infrequently, rarely.

unusual

English

Alternative forms

* unusuall (obsolete)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Unlike what is expected; differing in some way from the norm.
  • *
    • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=2 , passage=I had occasion […] to make a somewhat long business trip to Chicago, and on my return […] I found Farrar awaiting me in the railway station. He smiled his wonted fraction by way of greeting, […], and finally leading me to his buggy, turned and drove out of town. I was completely mystified at such an unusual proceeding.}}
  • Not usual.

    • Synonyms

    * (different from the expected) abnormal, rare, strange, weird, (stronger) extraordinary ** See also

    Antonyms

    * (different from the expected) normal, usual

    seldom

    English

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • Infrequently, rarely.
  • *
    • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=8 , passage=I corralled the judge, and we started off across the fields, in no very mild state of fear of that gentleman's wife, whose vigilance was seldom relaxed.}}
  • *{{quote-news, year=2013, date=April 9, author=Andrei Lankov, title=Stay Cool. Call North Korea’s Bluff., work=New York Times citation
    • , passage=People who talk about an imminent possibility of war seldom pose this question: What would North Korea’s leadership get from unleashing a war that they are likely to lose in weeks, if not days?}}
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-01, volume=407, issue=8838, page=71, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= End of the peer show , passage=Finance is seldom romantic. But the idea of peer-to-peer lending comes close. This is an industry that brings together individual savers and lenders on online platforms. Those that want to borrow are matched with those that want to lend.}}

    Usage notes

    It is grammatically a negative word. It therefore collocates with ever rather than never. * Compare He seldom ever plays tennis.'' with ''He almost never plays tennis.

    Synonyms

    * barely * hardly * rarely * scarcely * infrequently

    Antonyms

    * often * frequently

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (obsolete) rare; infrequent
    • A suppressed and seldom anger. — Jeremy Taylor.

    Anagrams

    * English frequency adverbs