redundancy

noun

re·​dun·​dan·​cy ri-ˈdən-dən(t)-sē How to pronounce redundancy (audio)
plural redundancies
1
a
: the quality or state of being redundant : superfluity
b
: the use of redundant components
also : such components
c
chiefly British : dismissal from a job especially by layoff
2
3
a
: superfluous repetition : prolixity
b
: an act or instance of needless repetition
4
: the part of a message that can be eliminated without loss of essential information

Did you know?

Redundancy, closely related to redound, has stayed close to the original meaning of "overflow" or "more than necessary". Avoiding redundancy is one of the prime rules of good writing. ""In the modern world of today" contains a redundancy; so does "He died of fatal wounds" and "For the mutual benefit of both parties". But redundancy doesn't just occur in language. "Data redundancy" means keeping the same computer data in more than one place as a safety measure, and a backup system in an airplane may provide redundancy, again for the sake of safety.

Examples of redundancy in a Sentence

Avoid redundancy in your writing. Try to avoid using redundancies in your writing. The design incorporates several redundancies. a system with a high level of redundancy The restructuring is expected to result in the redundancy of several hundred workers. The workers are now facing redundancy.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Include data cleaning, validation, backups, redundancies, access controls and compliance protocols. Akram Atallah, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025 Add in the ownership — the fact that Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been so involved, another round of redundancies, the mood around Carrington and Old Trafford, how that creeps into what the players are feeling on the pitch. Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 22 May 2025 Kennedy explained that his decision to reduce the department's workforce from 82,000 to 62,000 employees was a necessary cost-cutting measure to eliminate redundancies, particularly in offices related to women's health, minority health, and STD prevention. Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025 Deadline is told that redundancies have hit UIS globally in London HQ and in its Australia and L.A. hubs. Peter White, Deadline, 9 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for redundancy

Word History

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of redundancy was in 1601

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Cite this Entry

“Redundancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/redundancy. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

redundancy

noun
re·​dun·​dan·​cy ri-ˈdən-dən-sē How to pronounce redundancy (audio)
plural redundancies
1
: the quality or state of being redundant
2
a
: the use of unnecessary words
b
: an act or instance of needless repetition

More from Merriam-Webster on redundancy

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