repetition

noun

rep·​e·​ti·​tion ˌre-pə-ˈti-shən 

1

a

: the act or an instance of repeating or being repeated

b

: a motion or exercise (such as a push-up) that is repeated and usually counted

2

: mention, recital

repetitional

ˌre-pə-ˈtish-nəl 

-ˈti-shə-nᵊl

adjective

Synonyms

• duplication
• iteration
• redo
• reduplication
• reiteration
• renewal
• repeat
• replay
• replication
• reprise

Examples of repetition in a Sentence

Sometimes repetition is necessary to drive a point home.

Children's songs involve lots of repetition.

I quit my job at the factory because I hated the mindless repetition.

Recent Examples on the Web

Take a one- or two-minute break between repetitions, repeating one or two times. —Dana Santas, CNN, 12 Mar. 2025

While some people initially took Trump’s comments about Canada becoming the 51st state as a joke, his constant repetition means Canadians are no longer laughing, Kahlon said. —Josh Fellman, Quartz, 10 Mar. 2025

The dullard cousin of the repetition family is redundancy, that almost onomatopoeic term for needless recapitulation. —Namwali Serpell, The New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2025

But within that repetition, there are degrees, there are changes. —Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English repeticion, from Middle French, from Latin repetition-, repetitio, from repetere to repeat

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing repetition

• incremental repetition

Rhymes for repetition

• abolition
• acquisition
• admonition
• ammunition
• apparition
• apposition
• coalition
• competition
• composition
• definition
• deglutition
• demolition

Kids Definition

repetition

noun

rep·​e·​ti·​tion ˌrep-ə-ˈtish-ən 

1

a

: the act or an instance of repeating

b

: a motion or exercise (as a push-up) that is repeated and usually counted

2

: something repeated