Consistently vs Regularly

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Consistently

Top 2,000 (common) B2 adverb

Regularly

Top 1,000 (very common) B1 adverb

Most common: Regularly

	Consistently	Regularly
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/kənˈsɪstəntli/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/kənˈsɪstəntli/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˈreɡjələli/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈreɡjələrli/"]/
Meaning	doing something in the same way over time	happening often or at the same time each week or month
Example	Her work has been of a consistently high standard.	She works out regularly to maintain her fitness.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	B2	B1
Part of speech	adverb	adverb
Collocations	perform consistently, think consistently, act consistently	exercise regularly, meet regularly, check emails regularly
Antonyms	inconsistently, irregularly, sporadically, erratically	irregularly, occasionally
Common mistakes	Confused with 'constant', thinking both mean the same., Using it incorrectly with countable nouns, e.g. 'consistently good results' is correct, but they say 'consistently results'., Omitting it when necessary, e.g. saying 'he is good' instead of 'he is consistently good'.	Using 'regular' instead of 'regularly' incorrectly in sentences., Confusing with 'regularity', which refers to the quality of being regular., Forgetting to place it appropriately in the sentence.
Usage notes	Used to describe actions that are done regularly and without change. Appropriate in both spoken and written English, but avoid in very casual conversations.	Use 'regularly' to describe activities that happen frequently, like exercise or meetings. It's suitable for writing and conversation but not usually used in very casual slang. Avoid using 'regularly' in contexts of irregular or one-time events.

See it in real clips

Sherlock › S1 E1

The rest of herjewellery has been regularly cleaned,

Breaking Bad › S1 E2

So you work with him regularly.

Chernobyl › S1 E1

The dosimetrists should be checking regularly.

Sherlock › S1 E1

The rest of herjewellery has been regularly cleaned,

Breaking Bad › S1 E2

So you work with him regularly.

Regularly

Frequently asked questions: Consistently vs Regularly

What's the difference between Consistently and Regularly?

Consistently: doing something in the same way over time Regularly: happening often or at the same time each week or month

Which is more common: Consistently and Regularly?

Regularly is the most common in everyday English.

Which is more advanced: Consistently and Regularly?

Consistently is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.

Are Consistently and Regularly the same CEFR level?

Consistently: B2, Regularly: B1 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Consistently and Regularly?

Consistently: adverb, Regularly: adverb.

Can you show an example of each?

Consistently: Her work has been of a consistently high standard. Regularly: She works out regularly to maintain her fitness.

Can I use Consistently and Regularly interchangeably?

Not always. Consistently and Regularly are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.