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
-
Exhale and repeat through five repetitions.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
23 Oct. 2025
-
The beauty of rock ‘n’ roll is repetition, the beauty of repetition and the groan and the groove and the communication of the words.—
Gary Graff,
Billboard,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Remaining on stage with gracious verbalism, Batiste first acknowledged the nominees.—
Allison Hazel,
Essence,
9 June 2021
Noun
-
Re-Calvin also accepts intimates, such as bras, swimwear and underwear — a category that is often excluded from circularity programs.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
23 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
-
The demonstration went through a rigorous safety evaluation, and deliberate layers of redundancy, to ensure the safety of fellow citizens.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
20 Oct. 2025
-
The air traffic control system is multi-layered and has redundancies built into it to ensure an incredibly safe environment.—
Fortune,
Fortune,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tautology.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tautology. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share