does not repeat

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "does not repeat" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that does not happen multiple times or to express that something should not be repeated. For example, "This error message does not repeat - it only appears once."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

History does not repeat itself.

The Economist

"History does not repeat itself," he sniffed.

The New York Times

History does not repeat itself, nor does it always rhyme.

The Guardian - Opinion

Let us hope it does not repeat past mistakes.

The Guardian - Opinion

Ture, history does not repeat itself in every detail.

Independent

The president must be hoping history does not repeat itself.

The Economist

Who said that history does not repeat itself?

The New York Times - Arts

It has been said that history does not repeat itself, but it does sometimes rhyme.

The New York Times

History does not repeat itself, but it rhymes, Mark Twain reportedly once said.

The Guardian - Business

(Ashley the Attorney, however, does not repeat any good lawyer jokes).

The New York Times

Perhaps history does not repeat itself exactly, but it is certainly prone to extended paraphrases.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "does not repeat" to clearly indicate that an action, event, or pattern happens only once or is intentionally prevented from happening again. It is useful in instructions, warnings, and descriptions where avoiding repetition is crucial.

Common error

Avoid using vague alternatives like "doesn't continue" or "stops happening" when you specifically need to emphasize the absence of repetition. "Does not repeat" provides a stronger and clearer assertion that something will not occur more than once.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "does not repeat" functions as a verb phrase, often used to negate the action of repeating. It modifies a subject by stating that it avoids recurrence. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically sound and usable.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Science

27%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

6%

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "does not repeat" is a grammatically correct and common way to express that something happens only once or is prevented from recurring. As Ludwig AI indicates, it is suitable for a variety of contexts, including news, science, and academic writing. Its primary function is to emphasize singularity and non-repetition, making it useful for instructions, warnings, and descriptive statements. When writing, ensure that you use it to clearly convey the absence of recurrence, avoiding weaker alternatives that may dilute the message. This phrase often appears in authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Guardian.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is non-repeating

Adjectival form emphasizing the absence of repetition.

is unrepeated

Stresses the lack of repetition.

occurs only once

Focuses on the singularity of an event, highlighting that it happens just a single time.

doesn't happen again

Emphasizes the prevention of a future occurrence.

is a one-time event

Highlights the non-recurring nature of the event.

is a singular occurrence

Emphasizes the isolated nature of the event.

will not recur

Formally states that the event will not happen again.

won't be duplicated

Focuses on the prevention of creating a copy or recurrence.

happens uniquely

Highlights the unique and non-reproducible quality of an event.

ceases after one instance

Highlights the termination after a single event.

FAQs

How can I use "does not repeat" in a sentence?

You can use "does not repeat" to indicate that something occurs only once. For example, "This error message "does not repeat"; it only appears once."

What are some alternatives to "does not repeat"?

Alternatives to "does not repeat" include phrases like "occurs only once", "is non-repeating", or "will not recur", depending on the context.

Is it better to say "does not repeat" or "never repeats"?

Both "does not repeat" and "never repeats" are grammatically correct. "Does not repeat" is generally used to describe a specific instance, while "never repeats" indicates a consistent absence of repetition over time.

What's the difference between "does not repeat" and "is unique"?

"Does not repeat" indicates that something will not happen again. "Is unique" means something is one of a kind. Something that "does not repeat" may not necessarily be unique, and something that is unique may still repeat in some fashion.