rare
Small in number (but not unusual); infrequent; sparse.
Word facts
Definition of Rare
Particularly of meat, especially beefsteak: cooked very lightly, so the meat is still red.
Example sentences
Black pearls are very rare and therefore very valuable.
Using Rare well
A closer look at how rare is used — meaning in plain English, how close synonyms differ, and examples at different levels.
Not happening or found very often; unusual and uncommon.
Use it when something occurs seldom or is hard to find, especially when scarcity gives it value or notability. Note the separate cooking sense — a 'rare' steak is cooked only briefly and still red inside.
Descriptions of events, objects, species, medical conditions, collectibles, and cooking (meat doneness).
Do not confuse with 'raw'. Raw meat is completely uncooked; rare meat is lightly cooked and warm in the center.
- uncommon
- Milder and more neutral; just 'not usual', without the suggestion of value or scarcity.
- scarce
- Stresses short supply relative to demand; about quantity available, not how unusual something is.
- seldom
- An adverb about frequency ('seldom seen'), not an adjective describing a thing.
- exceptional
- Adds a sense of unusually high quality, not just infrequency.
- sparse
- Emphasizes thin distribution over an area, like sparse vegetation, rather than overall rarity.
- Beginner It is rare to see snow in this part of the country.
- In writing The museum acquired a rare first edition, one of only a handful known to survive.
- Advanced Hers was a rare talent — the kind that appears perhaps once in a generation and reshapes the form around it.
Rare rhymes with 'spare' — there are only a few to spare.
Synonyms for Rare
Related words
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Words that rhyme with Rare
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FAQ
Questions people ask
What does rare mean?
Small in number (but not unusual); infrequent; sparse. It is an adjective.
How many syllables does rare have?
Rare has 1 syllable. It is pronounced as a single beat: rare.
What part of speech is rare?
Rare is used as an adjective. As a noun, it names a thing, idea, or concept.
What are synonyms for rare?
Words with similar meanings to rare include extraordinary, raw, thin, uncommon. The best synonym depends on the exact context you are writing or reading in.
How do you use rare in a sentence?
Example: "Black pearls are very rare and therefore very valuable."