Found 14 stronger alternatives to upgrade your writing.
Frequency (formal-ish)
Nuance: A lot
Works best after the verb; sounds more formal than a lot.
Boring
He checks his phone often during study hall even after being warned.
Better
He checks his phone a great deal during study hall even after being warned.
Frequency (casual)
Nuance: Casual
Casual and common in speech.
Boring
I practice my free throws often after school so my shot feels natural in games.
Better
I practice my free throws a lot after school so my shot feels natural in games.
Frequency (emphasis)
Nuance: Repeated
Adds strong emphasis and repetition.
Boring
My little brother asks the same question often after I answer it.
Better
My little brother asks the same question again and again after I answer it.
Frequency (common)
Nuance: Many times
Common and clear.
Boring
Before I turn in an essay, I check my work often to catch punctuation mistakes.
Better
Before I turn in an essay, I check my work frequently to catch punctuation mistakes.
Frequency (clear)
Nuance: Repeated
Very clear and simple.
Boring
When the directions are confusing I have reread them often so I do not miss a detail.
Better
When the directions are confusing, I have reread them many times so I do not miss a detail.
Frequency (explicit)
Nuance: Routine
Very clear; slightly wordy.
Boring
We meet with our advisor often to review our progress and plan the next week.
Better
We meet with our advisor on a regular basis to review our progress and plan the next week.
Frequency (routine)
Nuance: Routine
Suggests a routine.
Boring
The teacher gives short quizzes often on Fridays so we keep up with the notes.
Better
The teacher gives short quizzes regularly on Fridays so we keep up with the notes.
Frequency (repeat)
Nuance: Repeated action
Strong word for something that happens many times.
Boring
The warning sign falls down often because the tape is weak.
Better
The warning sign falls down repeatedly because the tape is weak.
Frequency (habit)
Nuance: Habit
More formal than regularly; suggests habit.
Boring
Our class begins with a warm up question often so we start working right away.
Better
Our class begins with a warm up question routinely so we start working right away.
Frequency (emphasis)
Nuance: Repeated many times
Emphatic; a bit literary.
Boring
I often remind myself to check the due date before I submit anything.
Better
Time and again, I remind myself to check the due date before I submit anything.
Frequency (usual practice)
Nuance: Usual practice
Formal; means as is usual.
Boring
My grandparents often eat dinner at the same time every evening.
Better
My grandparents customarily eat dinner at the same time every evening.
Frequency (habit)
Nuance: Habit
Formal; means as a habit.
Boring
He stops to talk in the hallway often and ends up late to first period.
Better
He stops to talk in the hallway habitually and ends up late to first period.
Frequency (formal)
Nuance: Fairly often
Formal; means fairly often.
Boring
I often hear that song on the radio on the way home.
Better
Not infrequently, I hear that song on the radio on the way home.
Frequency (formal phrase)
Nuance: Often
Formal; sounds like a report.
Boring
In the old app the screen would freeze often during sign in.
Better
In the old app, the screen would freeze with some frequency during sign in.