Repeated itself

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "repeated itself" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when describing a situation or event that occurs again in the same manner as before. An example is: "The pattern repeated itself every year." Alternative expressions include "recurred," "happened again," and "occurred again."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science & Research

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The process repeated itself.

The New York Times

History repeated itself.

The Washington Post

Later, history repeated itself.

The New York Times

So history repeated itself.

The New York Times

In 2007, history repeated itself.

The New York Times

And the pattern repeated itself at night.

The New York Times

Then a well-established pattern repeated itself.

The New York Times

Now the pattern has repeated itself.

The New York Times

But history repeated itself at Gleneagles.

Independent

And this dream repeated itself for years.

The Guardian

The pattern repeated itself throughout East Germany.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "repeated itself" to clearly indicate that a situation, event, or pattern has occurred more than once in the same way. Ensure the context makes it clear what is being repeated.

Common error

Avoid using "repeated itself" when the subsequent event is merely similar but not identical to the original. Use alternative phrasings like "echoed" or "resembled" if the events share common characteristics but aren't exact replicas.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "repeated itself" functions as a verb phrase indicating the recurrence of an action, event, or pattern. It often follows a noun or noun phrase that represents what is being repeated, as shown in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

88%

Science & Research

6%

Wiki

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

1%

Encyclopedias

1%

Academia

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "repeated itself" is a common and grammatically sound way to describe the recurrence of events or patterns. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's widely used in news, science, and general writing to highlight cyclical or recurring phenomena. When using "repeated itself", ensure the context clearly defines what is being repeated and that the recurrence is indeed an accurate replication of the original event. Alternative expressions like "happened again" or "recurred" can be considered based on specific nuances you want to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

The pattern continued

Similar to the cycle continued, but emphasizes the adherence to a specific pattern.

Recurred

Implies a return to a previous state or condition.

The cycle continued

Highlights the ongoing nature of a repetitive sequence of events.

Happened again

Focuses on the occurrence of an event again, without necessarily implying a pattern.

Occurred again

Similar to 'happened again', but may imply a more formal or structured event.

Reappeared

Specifically suggests that something became visible or present again.

Returned

Indicates a movement back to an original place or state.

Duplicated

Implies an exact copy or replication of something.

Replicated

Similar to duplicated, but may suggest a more complex or scientific process of copying.

Reiterated

Focuses on repeating something verbally or in writing.

FAQs

How can I use "repeated itself" in a sentence?

You can use "repeated itself" to describe a recurring event, pattern, or situation. For example, "The error "repeated itself" every time I ran the program".

What can I say instead of "repeated itself"?

Alternatives include "happened again", "occurred again", or "recurred", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "the history repeated itself"?

Yes, "the history "repeated itself"" is a common idiom used to suggest that past events are occurring again in a similar manner.

What is the difference between "repeated itself" and "continued"?

"Repeated itself" implies a recurrence of the same event or pattern, while "continued" simply means something kept going without necessarily being identical to a previous occurrence. For instance, "The pattern "repeated itself"," suggests the exact same pattern happened again, while "the process continued" only suggests that it kept going but not necessarily in the same way.