infrequent implies occurrence at wide intervals in space or time.
infrequent family visits
uncommon suggests a frequency below normal expectation.
smallpox is now uncommon in many countries
scarce implies falling short of a standard or required abundance.
jobs were scarce during the Depression
rare suggests extreme scarcity or infrequency and often implies consequent high value.
rare first editions
sporadic implies occurrence in scattered instances or isolated outbursts.
sporadic cases of influenza
Example Sentences
It is not uncommon for people to become depressed after they retire. an athlete with uncommon ability a soldier of uncommon courage She is an uncommon woman.
Recent Examples on the WebLoud parties are a regular complaint to police, but concerns about safety are not uncommon. Juliette Rihl, The Arizona Republic, 17 Sep. 2022 This is not uncommon in economic development projects. Daniel I. Dorfman, Chicago Tribune, 13 Sep. 2022 Water problems are not uncommon in the city due to its aging infrastructure that is in desperate need of upgrades. Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 12 Sep. 2022 While retiring at 33 is uncommon in any part of the world, stopping young was always Joshua’s ultimate goal. Sophie Mellor, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2022 Most cobalt, for instance, is dug out in Congo, where child labor is not uncommon, specifically in mining. Bjorn Lomborg, WSJ, 9 Sep. 2022 Charness is coauthor of recent research in the New England Journal of Medicine that suggests such rebounds are not uncommon and that patients who rebound can have high levels of virus capable of infecting others. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Sep. 2022 Passing The Acid Test As recently as the 1970s, LSD therapy was not an entirely uncommon practice. Ronit Molko, Forbes, 19 May 2022 The Cornell ibis escaped this treatment but was seemingly folded into its current form, with its head twisted back and its rib cage and sternum removed—an uncommon practice for the time. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 May 2022 See More