frequent
gb/fɹˈikwənt/ us/fɹˈikwənt/
B1
English
~ 6000
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
property
1
happening or done often
Happening many times, or again and again, often with short time between each time.
Usage pattern:
frequent [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes try to use 'frequent' like a noun or determiner, for example *'I have frequent of problems'* or *'I have frequent problemses'*. Use it before a noun ('frequent problems') or after 'be' ('problems are frequent'). Another mistake is to confuse 'frequent' with 'many'; 'many' goes directly before a countable noun ('many problems'), while 'frequent' describes how often something happens.
Synonyms
regular (Focuses on something happening at fixed times or in a pattern, not just many times.)
|
repeated (Stresses that something happens again and again, without implying how often.)
|
common (Suggests that something is usual or widespread, not only that it happens many times.)
Antonyms
rare (Describes something that happens very few times or almost never.)
|
occasional (Describes something that happens from time to time, but not often.)
Collocations
frequent flyer
|frequent problem
|frequent use
|frequent visits
|frequent changes
|frequent contact
Themes
time
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Heavy traffic is a frequent problem on this road.
- She suffers from frequent headaches during exam season.
- The company sends out frequent updates to keep users informed.
- There have been frequent delays on the train line this month.
- Frequent use of this app can quickly drain your phone battery.
Learner examples
- I have frequent meetings at work.
- Power cuts are frequent in this area.
- He makes frequent mistakes with verb tenses.
- The bus is late, and this is very frequent.
- Frequent rain makes the streets very wet.
Verb
formal
C1
action
2
to visit a place often
To go to the same place many times.
Usage pattern:
to frequent [a place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse the verb 'frequent' with the adjective and say *'I frequent tired'* or *'I am frequent this café'*. As a verb, 'frequent' must take a place as its object: 'I frequent this café', 'She frequented that club'. It is also more formal; in everyday speech, 'go to [a place] a lot' or 'often go to [a place]' is more natural.
Synonyms
patronize (Often used for customers who regularly use a business; can also have a negative meaning 'to talk down to someone'.)
|
visit (More general and common; does not by itself mean 'often', so usually needs an adverb like 'often' or 'regularly'.)
Antonyms
avoid (Means to stay away from a place on purpose, the opposite of going there regularly.)
Collocations
frequent a bar
|frequent a restaurant
|frequent the gym
|frequent the area
|frequent local cafés
Themes
travel
|social life
|daily_life
Examples
- They often frequent the small cafés hidden in side streets.
- As a student, she used to frequent the university library every evening.
- The bar is frequented by local artists and musicians.
- Tourists rarely frequent this part of the city.
- He no longer frequents the clubs he went to in his twenties.
Learner examples
- He used to frequent this restaurant when he lived here.
- Many students frequent the library before exams.
- Few people frequent that old shop now.
- Artists frequent this bar in the evening.
- They do not frequent expensive hotels.
Grammar
Dictionary form
frequent
IPA
GB/fɹˈikwənt/
US/fɹˈikwənt/
Syllables & stress
fre - quent (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (fre)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: frequent
Verb
- Base: frequent
- 3rd Person Singular: frequents
- Present Participle: frequenting
- Past: frequented
Word family
Forms
frequents
verb
frequenting
verb
frequented
verb
Core family
frequency
noun B1
frequently
adverb A2
Negative and opposite forms
infrequent
adjective
infrequently
adverb
Advanced or less common
infrequency
noun
Expressions
frequent flyer program
1/fɹˈikwənt flˈaɪɚ pɹˈoʊɡɹˌæm/
fixed phrase
airline loyalty program for flyers
A plan from an airline that gives rewards, like points or miles, to people who fly with them many times.
Examples
- I joined the airline's frequent flyer program to earn miles on every trip.
- Most major carriers have a frequent flyer program for loyal customers.
- Through the frequent flyer program, she upgraded her seat to business class.
frequent flyer
1/fɹˈikwənt flˈaɪɚ/
fixed phrase
person who flies very often
A person who travels by airplane many times, especially on the same airline.
Examples
- As a frequent flyer, she gets free upgrades on long flights.
- As a frequent flyer, she gets free upgrades and lounge access.
- The airline offers special rewards for its frequent flyers.
- The airline sent special offers only to its frequent flyers.
- Frequent flyers often join loyalty programs to collect miles.
- Frequent flyers know exactly how to move quickly through security.
frequent flyer miles
1/fɹˈikwənt flˈaɪɚ mˈaɪlz/
fixed phrase
airline points for frequent flyers
Points you get from an airline when you fly with them, which you can later use for free or cheaper flights.
Examples
- He used his frequent flyer miles to book a free trip to Paris.
- He used his frequent flyer miles to book a free trip to Tokyo.
- You can earn frequent flyer miles every time you take a flight with this airline.
- Frequent flyer miles can expire if you don’t travel for a long time.
- She saved up frequent flyer miles for years to visit her family abroad.
- She saves all her frequent flyer miles for family vacations.