fre ‧ quent ‧ ly S3 W2 /ˈfriːkwəntli/ BrE AmE adverb
[ Word Family: verb : ↑ frequent ; noun : ↑ frequency ≠ ↑ infrequency ; adverb : ↑ frequently ≠ ↑ infrequently ; adjective : ↑ frequent ≠ ↑ infrequent ]
very often or many times:
He was frequently drunk.
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In everyday English, people usually say that something often happens, or that something happens a lot , rather than say it happens frequently :
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I often see him. OR I see him a lot.
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THESAURUS
▪ often used when saying that something happens many times:
Gary was often bad-tempered in the morning.
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We often meet up for a drink after work.
▪ a lot informal often:
I think she likes him – she talks about him a lot.
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His wife goes abroad on business a lot.
▪ frequently especially written often – used especially in writing or more formal English:
Passengers complain that trains are frequently late.
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Older patients frequently forget to take their medicine.
▪ regularly often, especially at regular intervals:
Buses run regularly every ten minutes.
▪ again and again used to emphasize that someone does something many times, or the same thing happens many times:
She told herself again and again that everything would be all right.
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Gunfire rang out across the city again and again.
▪ repeatedly especially written used to emphasize that someone does something many times:
His doctor had repeatedly warned him not to work so hard.
▪ constantly/continually often over a long period of time – used especially about something that is annoying or causes problems:
They seem to be continually arguing.
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It’s hard to keep up with technology when it’s constantly changing.
▪ time and time again many times – used when this is annoying or does not have any effect:
He forgets his keys time and time again.
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I tell students time and time again to keep careful notes.