English - Hungarian

oft

gb/ˈɔft/ us/ˈɔft/
C1 English
~ 25800
gyakran
C1 LITERARY
1
Usage pattern:
oft [past participle]
In his speeches he returned oft to the theme of justice.
Beszédeiben gyakran visszatért az igazságosság témájához.
An oft-quoted passage from the novel opens the article.
A cikket a regényből vett, gyakran idézett részlet nyitja.
This is an oft-repeated mistake in beginner textbooks.
The city’s oft-promised reforms have yet to appear.
Learner examples
This story is oft told in our town.
Ezt a történetet gyakran mesélik a városunkban.
It is an oft-used example in the book.
Ez egy gyakran használt példa a könyvben.
That line is an oft-quoted part of the poem.
The teacher spoke of his childhood oft in class.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *oft* in everyday speech or writing instead of *often*. In modern English, *oft* sounds literary, poetic, or old-fashioned and is usually limited to fixed phrases like *oft-quoted* or *oft-repeated*. For normal conversation and writing, use *often* instead of *oft*.
Meaning
frequently; many times
Collocations
oft-quoted |oft-repeated |oft-cited |oft-forgotten |oft-neglected |as oft as
Synonyms
often (Neutral, standard modern English; much more common in everyday use.) | frequently (Slightly more formal than ‘often’, but still modern; not literary or old-fashioned like ‘oft’.) | many times (More informal phrase; stresses the number of times rather than regularity.)
Antonyms
rarely (Shows that something happens almost never or not many times, the opposite of happening often.) | seldom (A somewhat formal/old-fashioned word meaning ‘not often’, the opposite of ‘oft’.)
Themes
time |literature |core_vocabulary |communication
Definition

A literary or old word that means ‘often’ or ‘many times’.

Used mainly in literary or old-fashioned English to mean ‘often’ or ‘frequently’.

Grammar
Dictionary form
oft
IPA
GB/ˈɔft/
US/ˈɔft/
Syllables & stress
oft (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (oft)
Word forms
Noun
  • Base: oft
  • Plural: ofts
Word family
Forms
ofts noun
Core family
often adverb A2
Advanced or less common
oftentimes adverb
Expressions

as oft as

1
/ˈæz ˈɔft ˈæz/
fixed phrase archaic

as often as

An old way to say “as often as”; used in older texts or in poetic style.

Examples
  • He visited her as oft as his duties would allow.
  • As oft as they met, they spoke of the past.

oft-cited

1
/ˈɔft sˈaɪtɪd/
fixed phrase literary

frequently used as evidence

Said about a study, example, or source that people mention many times, usually as proof of something.

Examples
  • The paper challenges an oft-cited study on climate change.
  • Her work is an oft-cited example in discussions of modern architecture.

oft-forgotten

1
/ˈɔft fɚɡˈɑtən/
fixed phrase literary

frequently overlooked or forgotten

Said about something that people forget or ignore again and again.

Examples
  • The report draws attention to the oft-forgotten issue of rural poverty.
  • He spoke about the oft-forgotten contributions of minority scientists.

oft-neglected

1
/ˈɔft nɪɡlˈɛktɪd/
fixed phrase literary

regularly not given attention

Said about something that people regularly do not care for or pay attention to.

Examples
  • The author highlights the oft-neglected role of nurses in healthcare history.
  • Physical rest is an oft-neglected part of many training programs.

oft-quoted

1
/ˈɔft kwˈoʊtɪd/
fixed phrase literary

quoted many times

Said about a remark, sentence, or idea that people repeat or quote many times.

Examples
  • The article begins with an oft-quoted line from Shakespeare.
  • His speech included the oft-quoted warning about the dangers of power.

oft-repeated

1
/ˈɔft ɹɪpˈitɪd/
fixed phrase literary

repeated again and again

Said about a statement, claim, or action that happens or is said many times.

Examples
  • Despite the CEO’s oft-repeated promise of change, little has improved.
  • The book challenges the oft-repeated myth that success comes overnight.

oft-told tale

1
/ˈɔft tˈoʊld tˈeɪl/
fixed phrase literary

story told many times

A story that people tell again and again, usually well known to everyone who hears it.

Examples
  • It is an oft-told tale in our family, repeated at every holiday dinner.
  • The movie is based on an oft-told tale of lost love and second chances.

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