redundancy

noun

re·​dun·​dan·​cy ri-ˈdən-dən(t)-sē 

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

: profusion, abundance

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.

Synonyms of redundancy

• repetition
• repetitiveness
• verbosity
• wordiness
• prolixity
• diffusion
• diffuseness
• wordage
• logorrhea
• circumlocution

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

It is controlled using a four-axis joystick and includes automatic landing, motor redundancy and a ballistic parachute. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 9 Aug. 2026

Combined with domestic uranium production at White Mesa, Energy Fuels is building redundancy that pure onshoring alone cannot achieve quickly enough. — David Blackmon, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Baer is hoping to achieve double redundancy throughout the shadow's path, ensuring an uninterrupted view in the event that a group is clouded out, or loses connection. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026

That’s why the systems are built with redundancy — typically to protect against natural disasters, cut cables and the like, but now for attacks, as well. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

redundancy

noun

re·​dun·​dan·​cy ri-ˈdən-dən-sē 

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