repetitive language

USAGE SUMMARY

"repetitive language" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe language that is unnecessarily repeated or lacks variety. For example, "The essay suffered from repetitive language, making it dull to read." Alternative expressions include "redundant language" and "repetitive phrasing."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

Off Off Broadway 'THE ASPHALT KISS' Everything in Nelson Rodgrigues's play is exaggerated, from the deliberately melodramatic situation to the repetitive language, enunciated with Mamet-like emphasis.

The New York Times

Reading them this week, after the White House announced that plans for a secret meeting between Vice-President Pence and a high-level North Korean delegation had fallen through — meaning that the small window for diplomacy between the two countries opened by the Olympics had all but closed — their sombre and sometimes repetitive language seems appropriate.

The New Yorker

The analysis by the Media Standards Trust of 19 newspapers, including the Daily Telegraph, the Financial Times and the Sun, also found that the Leveson report and the royal charter introduced to underpin a new industry regulator were "widely portrayed as a threat to press freedom", with articles often featuring emotive and repetitive language "focused on freedom and government interference".

The Guardian

The expectations are rightly high – Postecoglou has used repetitive language in the media and in camp to ensure the nation doesn't undersell itself and with that comes pressure – but any criticism needs to be informed and with the current context in mind.

The Guardian - Sport

The team's modifications to standard practice include the addition of reinforcement learning and methods for reducing repetitive language and increasing the amount of context available to maximize accuracy.

TechCrunch

They're produced in her instantly recognizable and playful tautological, solipsistic, repetitive language.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

Repetitive words aren't allowed.

WikiHow

The Asperger Syndrome Diagnostic Interview (ASDI) [ 36], a highly structured diagnostic interview, comprising 20 different items including assessment of social impairment, narrow interests, repetitive routines, speech and language peculiarities, non-verbal communication problems, and motor clumsiness was used for almost all patients (n = 258).

BMC Psychiatry

Sample symptoms include lack of social or emotional reciprocity, stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language, and persistent preoccupation with unusual objects.

Wikipedia

Officials at the commission, an arm of the Bloomberg administration, have been working to eliminate repetitive and unnecessary language in their official books, which have ballooned in size after years of bureaucratic wrangling.

The New York Times

At 4 years of age she has minimal expressive language, repetitive behaviors, and minimal social interactions.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When revising your writing, use tools or techniques like 'find and replace' to identify and eliminate unnecessary repetition. Vary sentence structure and word choice.

Common error

Avoid relying on the same phrases repeatedly to emphasize a point. This can make your writing seem monotonous and less impactful. Instead, use varied language and stronger evidence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "repetitive language" functions primarily as a descriptive term. It identifies a quality of language characterized by unnecessary or excessive repetition. Ludwig AI examples highlight its use in critiquing writing styles, diagnosing communication patterns, and evaluating therapeutic techniques.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

42%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "repetitive language" correctly describes language marked by unnecessary or excessive repetition. As Ludwig AI shows, it's often used to critique writing, identify communication patterns, and even diagnose symptoms in certain disorders. While grammatically sound, excessive use of "repetitive language" can weaken communication. Recognizing and addressing it through techniques like varying sentence structure and word choice are key to effective writing. Related phrases like "redundant language" and "repetitive phrasing" highlight specific aspects of this phenomenon.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

repetitive phrasing

Highlights the repetition at the level of phrases, rather than individual words or ideas.

redundant language

Focuses on the unnecessary nature of the repetition, suggesting it could be removed without loss of meaning.

repeated wording

Focuses on the specific words being used again.

tautological language

Highlights the circular reasoning aspect of the repetition, where the same idea is expressed in different words without adding new information.

verbose language

Emphasizes the excessive use of words, which may include repetition as a contributing factor.

echoing language

Suggests a mirroring or repeating of specific words or phrases, often for effect.

circumlocutory language

Focuses on indirectness and wordiness, where repetition might be used to avoid getting to the point.

wordy language

Similar to verbose, but with a slightly stronger emphasis on the abundance of words.

iterative language

Implies a more structured and intentional repetition, perhaps for emphasis or rhythm.

unoriginal language

Indicates lack of creativity; potentially by rehashing stale linguistic patterns.

FAQs

How can I identify "repetitive language" in my writing?

Read your text aloud or use editing software to highlight frequently used words and phrases. Look for instances where the same idea is expressed multiple times in similar ways.

What are some techniques to avoid "repetitive language"?

Use synonyms, vary sentence structure, combine sentences, and rephrase ideas in different ways. Tools like a thesaurus can be helpful. Also try "redundant language" and "repetitive phrasing".

Is "repetitive language" always bad in writing?

Not necessarily. Repetition can be used intentionally for emphasis or to create a specific effect, particularly in poetry or rhetoric. However, unintentional or excessive repetition can weaken writing.

What's the difference between "repetitive language" and tautology?

"Repetitive language" generally refers to any instance of language being repeated, while tautology is a specific type of repetition where the same thing is said twice in different words, adding no new information. Tautology is a type of "tautological language".