frequent
B1Formal and neutral. The adjective is common in all registers; the verb is more formal/literary.
Definition
Meaning
Occurring or done on many occasions, in many cases, or in quick succession.
To be present in a particular place or situation often or habitually; to visit a place regularly. As a verb: to visit or be in (a place) often.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The adjective typically describes an event or action, not a physical object (e.g., 'frequent rain,' not 'frequent car'). Can imply short intervals between occurrences.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Primarily in pronunciation stress. The verb 'frequent' is used similarly but may be perceived as slightly more formal in everyday AmE.
Connotations
Neutral for the adjective. The verb can carry a slightly formal, deliberate, or literary connotation (e.g., 'he frequents the library').
Frequency
The adjective is extremely common in both varieties. The verb is less common and more marked for register.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Adj] + noun (frequent calls)Verb + [obj] (to frequent a cafe)Be + [Adj] + that-clause (It is frequent that... is rare; use 'It is common that...' instead)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Frequent flyer (a person who travels often by air, also a loyalty programme)”
- “A frequent occurrence (something that happens often)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
'Frequent customer' programmes, 'frequent audits', 'frequent communication'.
Academic
Describing patterns: 'frequent observations', 'a frequent phenomenon', 'frequent in the literature'.
Everyday
Talking about common activities: 'frequent trips to the shop', 'frequent rain this month'.
Technical
In data/statistics: 'frequent itemset', 'frequent pattern mining'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He used to frequent the jazz clubs in Soho.
- The café is frequented by artists and writers.
American English
- She frequents the farmer's market every weekend.
- That bar is frequented by a rough crowd.
adverb
British English
- The buses run frequently during rush hour.
- She emails me quite frequently.
American English
- He travels to Chicago frequently for work.
- I see them more frequently now.
adjective
British English
- We've been having frequent power cuts this winter.
- He is a frequent contributor to the letters page.
American English
- There is frequent bus service to downtown.
- Frequent hand washing is recommended.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I make frequent calls to my family.
- The bus comes frequently.
- There is a frequent train service to London.
- He is a frequent visitor to our website.
- The region is prone to frequent seismic activity.
- She frequents the library to study in peace.
- His frequent absences from meetings began to arouse suspicion.
- The theory is frequent in postmodern critiques of the era.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a FREQUENT visitor being FREE to come QUENT-ly (a made-up suffix for 'often').
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS SPACE (visited often); QUANTITY IS FREQUENCY (more times = more frequent).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'frequent' as 'часто́й' for physical objects like hair ('густо́й'). 'Frequent' refers to time/intervals, not density.
- The verb 'to frequent' is not 'частить'. Use 'ча́сто посеща́ть' or 'быва́ть'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'frequent' to mean 'many in number' instead of 'many times' (e.g., 'He has frequent books' is wrong).
- Confusing pronunciation stress between adjective (FRE-quent) and verb (fre-QUENT).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses the verb 'frequent' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Overwhelmingly as an adjective. The verb is less common and more formal/literary.
The adjective is stressed on the first syllable: FRE-quent. The verb can be stressed on the second syllable: fre-QUENT, though in AmE first-syllable stress for the verb is also common.
Yes, but usually as part of a compound noun: 'a frequent visitor/flyer/customer'. You wouldn't typically say 'He is frequent' alone.
Using it to mean 'many' instead of 'often'. For example, 'He has frequent friends' is incorrect. 'He has many friends' or 'He meets his friends frequently' are correct.
Explore