Often vs. Frequently – What’s the Difference? (+Examples)

Often when words are synonyms in the English language, you’ll wonder if they have any differences between them. That is to say, if they are completely equivalent in all contexts, or if there are some small differences. This article will explain what the difference is between “often” and “frequently”.

Often vs. Frequently – What’s the Difference?

“Often” and “frequently” are nearly identical terms that refer to events that happen regularly. The key difference between them is that “frequently” carries the implication of something that happens in regular intervals, while “often” doesn’t necessarily imply that something is happening at a set interval.

However, this implication of a regular pace does little to affect the ways in which these terms are used, and they’re practically equivalent terms that you can use interchangeably.

“Often” and “frequently” classify as synonyms of each other, because even though they don’t have completely equal definitions, they are still frequently used as equivalents nonetheless.

Often

“Often” is a word that merely states that something happens several times. It’s a very simple and straightforward term that can be used when talking about things that occur relatively close to each other. This is a term you can use to guarantee your audience understands what you mean.

Many people often wonder what the period of time in which something happens several times has to be in order for it to be considered as “often”.

There is no set answer on what qualifies as “often”, and it will always depend on the context. Once every day can be “often”, and once every year can also be “often”.

According to The Cambridge English Dictionary, “often” simply means “a lot or many times”. It’s a vague definition, and it carries no hard information on what number constitutes as “often”, which is why it’s relative.

Here are some example sentences that will teach you how to use “often” in a sentence:

1. Often I find myself thinking about what would’ve happened if I had stayed in the train.
2. She comes to see me often, and we have long conversations about literature and life.
3. He would often remark that he thought this project was in very good hands.
4. They are often misleading with their initial comments, so don’t drop your guard.
5. Often I would go to the shawarma shop on the corner, and have lunch there.

Frequently

“Frequently” is a term that you use to imply that something occurs at a relatively regular pace, and that the time periods that occur in between each instance are not too far apart from each other. It’s a term to keep in mind to convey a specific sense of rhythm.

When you say “frequently”, you’re letting the audience know that the intervals at which the specific action or event occurred were relatively equal, occurring at a set pace.

According to The Cambridge English Dictionary, “frequently” is a word that simply means “often”, cementing its status as a near-perfect synonym of the term.

Here are some example sentences that will show you how to use “frequently” in your sentences:

1. Frequently I find myself thinking about him, and what he’s up to in the modern day.
2. I frequently go to the grocery store because I need to stock up on my food for the week.
3. She frequently visits me, which is something that I really appreciate about her.
4. He frequently will notice when I alter the documents, and he’ll praise me for it.
5. Frequently they would show up at my university, and I never knew what to say to them.

Which Is Used the Most?

According to data provided by the Google Ngram Viewer, “often” is significantly more popular than “frequently”. Since the year 1900, “often” has been the more popular alternative when compared to “frequently”.

Furthermore, there hasn’t been a single point where “frequently” came close to surpassing “often”. In fact, use of “often” has increased, while “frequently” has remained stable.

More Often or More Frequently?

Both “more often” and “more frequently” are grammatically correct uses of frequency adverbs, though “more often” is slightly more common than “more frequently”, and sounds less awkward to the tongue. Which one you will use is up to you and what sounds better at the moment.

“More often” is a very common phrase, and it’s usually used in the context of the expression “more often than not”.

• More often than not I will find myself working at late hours in the night.
• You should come over more frequently, I miss you.