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-ˈti-sh(ə-)nəl 

adjective

Synonyms of repetition

• repeat
• replay

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

The beauty of the record lies in how these loops slowly diffract over their runtime, becoming subtly reformed over each repetition. — Henry Ivry, Pitchfork, 30 Oct. 2026

Kristy Luther said a stranger having a conversation might have a hard time picking up on it, but family who are around her each day notice the repetition. — Kansas City Star, 30 Oct. 2026

For first-time voter and U-M Dearborn freshman Xander Thomson, the repetition is having the opposite effect. — Elaine Rojas-Castillo, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026

The factor that seems to unite everyone is a sense of repetition—no matter the style, writers will play the same songs over and over again to reach a kind of creative trance. — Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026

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