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
The messianic claims of AI’s biggest stakeholders are tautologies: Generative AI will transform civilization; therefore, we must be empowered to steer it in the right direction.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 10 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
In this tautology, the act of spending is proof that the spending is justified.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 17 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
In other words, the industry is asking the world to engage in something like a trillion-dollar tautology: AI’s world-transformative potential justifies spending any amount of resources, because its evangelists will spend any amount to make AI transform the world.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 29 July 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
The messianic claims of AI’s biggest stakeholders are tautologies: Generative AI will transform civilization; therefore, we must be empowered to steer it in the right direction.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 10 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
In this tautology, the act of spending is proof that the spending is justified.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 17 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
In other words, the industry is asking the world to engage in something like a trillion-dollar tautology: AI’s world-transformative potential justifies spending any amount of resources, because its evangelists will spend any amount to make AI transform the world.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 29 July 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tautology
Noun
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Generally speaking, contract manufacturers thrive on predictability and repetition; their systems are typically built around lean principles optimized for HVLM.—
Scott Graybeal,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
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For global and local players alike, the message is clear: competing in China now means playing by a different rulebook — one that values connection over conversion, responsiveness over repetition, and trust over transaction.—
Li Jun,
Footwear News,
28 June 2025
Noun
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The President rejected that assertion with the kind of hyperbole that served to prove Bonta’s point.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
14 June 2025
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Okay, this might be a little hyperbole, but the final beats of the Season 10 finale reveal a hook-up that fans have longed for, but was thought to have been abandoned as a storyline.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
21 May 2025
Noun
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While leaders are working behind the scenes to iron out production strategies and redundancies, teams on the ground are left wondering how changes will affect them, their role and their tenure.—
Shannon Gabriel,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
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There are also thought to be a handful of other compulsory redundancies planned on Asian Network News.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tautology.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tautology. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
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