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.
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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
-
The future begins to look like a repetition of the present.—
Rabbi Bruce D. Forman,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Beckett’s patter of repetitions and reversals—as the tape is rewound, replayed, and punctured by Krapp’s speech in the present—resembles Lerner’s technique.—
Hannah Gold,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Remaining on stage with gracious verbalism, Batiste first acknowledged the nominees.—
Allison Hazel,
Essence,
9 June 2021
Noun
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The repetitiveness of the plot is not helped by the many montages writer-director Yandy Laurens uses as shortcuts, instead of writing scenes that show how the central relationship is developing.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
15 Dec. 2025
Noun
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One area that leading mills hope will remain resilient is the denim industry’s commitment to circularity and recycled cotton.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Treating natural systems as core sporting assets makes circularity a business imperative.—
Sebastian Buckup,
Time,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Silicon Bayou label may not be hyperbole for northern Louisiana.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Much is made of the iconography of the character of Mary Poppins — one of cinema's most famous, hyperbole be darned — but perhaps not enough is owed to how Julie Andrews, on the cusp of 30, simultaneously brought green charisma and decades of wisdom to the magical, practical nanny.—
Darren Franich,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Relegation, combined with Lerner’s desire to get the club off his hands, led to a redundancy programme being set up to reduce the workforce by around a third.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Councilwoman Flor Alvidrez said that would create redundancy in case of service interruptions.—
Elliott Wenzler,
Denver Post,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tautology.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tautology. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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