Meaning: Very rarely; almost never.
Hindi: कभी-कभार
Synonyms: rarely, seldom, infrequently
Antonyms: often, frequently
Asked in: SSC CGL 2024 T-1 · SSC Selection Post Ph-12 2024 ML · SSC MTS 2024 · SSC CGL 2023 T-1 · SSC MTS 2023 · SSC CPO 2022 T-1 · SSC CHSL 2022 T-1 · SSC GD 2022 T-1 · SSC CHSL 2021 T-1 · SSC MTS 2021 · SSC GD 2021 T-1 · SSC CHSL 2019 T-1
once in a blue moon in SSC previous-year questions
- SSC CGL 2024 T-1 Idioms & Phrases
Select the most appropriate meaning of the underlined idiom.
My uncle lives in New York, so I only see him once in a blue moon.Answer & explanation
Answer: C) Not very often
Correct Answer: Not very often
Explanation:
The idiom "once in a blue moon" means something that happens very rarely or infrequently. - SSC Selection Post Ph-12 2024 ML Idioms & Phrases
Select the most appropriate meaning of the underlined idiom in the following sentence.
Dinisha visits her mother once in a blue moon.Answer & explanation
Answer: B) Very rarely
The idiom "once in a blue moon" is used to describe an event or action that occurs very rarely. The term "blue moon" refers to the phenomenon of having two full moons in a single calendar month, which is a rare occurrence, hence the phrase signifies something that doesn't happen often.
Let's go through the options:
• Very frequently – This is the opposite of the meaning of "once in a blue moon," as it implies something happens often.
• Very rarely – This is the correct meaning. "Once in a blue moon" suggests something happens only on rare occasions, just like the rare occurrence of a blue moon.
• Every month – This implies regularity, which contradicts the rarity implied by "once in a blue m - SSC MTS 2024 Idioms & Phrases
Select the most appropriate meaning of the given idiom.
Once in a blue moonAnswer & explanation
Answer: D) A rare occurrence
Correct Answer: A rare occurrence
Explanation:
The idiom "Once in a blue moon" means something that happens very rarely or almost never.
• It is used to describe an event or situation that occurs infrequently.
• Example: I eat junk food only once in a blue moon.
Meaning in Hindi:
बहुत ही कम होने वाली घटना / कभी-कभार
Other options:
• A frequent event – happens often ❌
• A regular activity – done on a routine basis ❌
• A pleasant surprise – unrelated to frequency ❌
✅ Correct: A rare occurrence - SSC CGL 2023 T-1 Idioms & Phrases
Select the most appropriate meaning of the given idiom.
Once in a blue moonAnswer & explanation
Answer: D) Very rare
Answer: (4) Very rare
Solution:
The idiom “Once in a blue moon” means something that happens very rarely or infrequently (बहुत कम या कभी-कभार होना).
Other options are incorrect:
• (1) Very high – ऊँचा होना
• (2) Very ancient – बहुत प्राचीन
• (3) Very colorful – बहुत रंगीन
None convey the correct meaning of the idiom.
Word Meaning:
• Once in a blue moon – बहुत ही कम / कभी-कभार - SSC CPO 2022 T-1 Idioms & Phrases
Select the most appropriate meaning of the given idiom.
Once in a blue moonAnswer & explanation
Answer: A) Rarely
Answer: 1 – Rarely
Solution (Correct Option – 1: Rarely):
The idiom “once in a blue moon” means something that happens very rarely or almost never. It refers to events that occur infrequently.
Example: I eat fast food only once in a blue moon.
Once in a blue moon – बहुत ही कम, शायद ही कभी
Why other options are incorrect:
Often – Means frequently (अक्सर), opposite of the idiom's meaning
Occasionally – Means sometimes, more frequent than “rarely” (कभी-कभी)
Continuously – Means non-stop (लगातार), unrelated and opposite in context
Hence, the correct meaning is “Rarely”. - SSC MTS 2023 Idioms & Phrases
Select the most appropriate meaning of the underlined idiom.
We prefer going to movies once in a blue moon.Answer & explanation
Answer: A) Very rarely
The most appropriate meaning of the underlined idiom "once in a blue moon" in the given sentence is: Very rarely.
The idiom "once in a blue moon" is used to describe something that happens very infrequently or rarely. Therefore, the sentence suggests that the preference for going to the movies occurs very rarely.
Examples
- “We only meet once in a blue moon these days.”
once in a blue moon – questions
What is the meaning of once in a blue moon in Hindi?
once in a blue moon means “कभी-कभार” in Hindi. In English: Very rarely; almost never.
What are the synonyms of once in a blue moon?
Synonyms of once in a blue moon: rarely, seldom, infrequently.
What is the opposite of once in a blue moon?
Antonyms of once in a blue moon: often, frequently.
Has once in a blue moon been asked in SSC exams?
Yes – once in a blue moon has been asked 12 times in SSC exams: SSC CGL 2024 T-1, SSC Selection Post Ph-12 2024 ML, SSC MTS 2024, SSC CGL 2023 T-1, SSC MTS 2023, SSC CPO 2022 T-1, SSC CHSL 2022 T-1, SSC GD 2022 T-1 and more.