tautology
noun
tau·tol·o·gy
tȯ-ˈtä-lə-jē 
plural tautologies
1
a
: needless repetition of an idea, statement, or word
Rhetorical repetition, tautology ('always and for ever'), banal metaphor, and short paragraphs are part of the jargon.—
Philip Howard
Philip Howard
b
: an instance of such repetition
The phrase "a beginner who has just started" is a tautology.
2
logic
: a statement that is true by virtue of its logical form alone
A logical combination of sentences that is always true, regardless of the truth or falsity of the constituent sentences, is known as a "tautology."—Rudy Rucker
Rudy Rucker… now the objection was raised that the entire theory of natural selection rested on a tautology: "Who survives? The fittest. Who are the fittest? Those that survive."—Ernst Mayr
Ernst MayrExamples of tautology in a Sentence
“A beginner who has just started” is a tautology.
Recent Examples on the Web
That tautology, in the age of Trump, is now a matter of judicial precedent.
—Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 29 Apr. 2025
Saying ‘Hungary is for Hungarians’ or ‘America is for Americans’ is a tautology.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
Sadaf spouts a tautology — faith as faith — that also holds for patriotism.
—Armond White, National Review, 22 Jan. 2025
Yes, a win is a win, but tautologies aside, for the Niners, a win with Purdy playing like one of the finest quarterbacks in the NFL on Sunday would speak volumes.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2024
The goal was to market something in every category, which led to the occasional tautology.
—Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 22 Aug. 2024
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.
Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 29 Apr. 2025
Saying ‘Hungary is for Hungarians’ or ‘America is for Americans’ is a tautology.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
Sadaf spouts a tautology — faith as faith — that also holds for patriotism.
—Armond White, National Review, 22 Jan. 2025
Yes, a win is a win, but tautologies aside, for the Niners, a win with Purdy playing like one of the finest quarterbacks in the NFL on Sunday would speak volumes.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 25 Oct. 2024
The goal was to market something in every category, which led to the occasional tautology.
—Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 22 Aug. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Tautology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tautology. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tautology
noun
tau·tol·o·gy
tȯ-ˈtäl-ə-jē
plural tautologies
: needless repetition of an idea, statement, or word
also
: an instance of such repetition
"a beginner who has just started" is a tautology
tautological
adjective
ˌtȯt-ᵊl-ˈäj-i-kəl
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share