as in repetition
a statement in which you repeat a word, idea, etc., in a way that is not necessary
"A beginner who has just started" is a tautology.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of tautology
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tautology
Noun
-
This completes one repetition (rep).—
Jakob Roze,
Health,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The author also had to keep her eye out of repetition, so that Rocky and her family weren't going through the same troubles again.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Remaining on stage with gracious verbalism, Batiste first acknowledged the nominees.—
Allison Hazel,
Essence,
9 June 2021
Noun
-
In line with the Patrick McDowell brand commitment to sustainability, the DPP also offered smart circularity services such as professional repair and redesign guidance to extend the life of the products.—
Fairchild Studio,
Footwear News,
28 Oct. 2025
-
The focus on decarbonization and circularity, especially textile-to-textile recycling, reflects the industry’s growing prioritization of sustainability.—
SJ Studio,
Sourcing Journal,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
At the risk of indulging in a little unchecked hyperbole, the NFL already owns the soul of every English-speaking man, woman and child in these United States.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Backflipping over a hundred foot Canyon, and those numbers aren't hyperbole either.—
Outside Online,
Outside Online,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Thompson is on cruise control — enjoying every no-fucks line, even in redundancy, but Zoë lacks the specificity and command seen in Herron’s better characters.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
29 Oct. 2025
-
From safety redundancies and modernization efforts to training future controllers and keeping the best staff, much of the work of the Federal Aviation Administration could see long term harms from the shutdown, experts say.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tautology.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tautology. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share