repetition
B1Formal to neutral
Definition
Meaning
The act of doing or saying something again; the thing that is repeated.
A recurrence or recurrence of similar elements in music, art, literature, or events; in education and training, the repeated practice of a skill to aid learning.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often has a neutral or slightly negative connotation of monotony, predictability, or redundancy, though in learning contexts it is seen positively as a necessary process.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning or usage.
Connotations
Slightly more likely to be used negatively (implying boredom or lack of creativity) in UK cultural discourse around media and politics.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
repetition of [noun phrase]repetition in [noun phrase]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “History repeats itself.”
- “Repetition is the mother of learning.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"We need to eliminate process repetition to improve efficiency."
Academic
"Statistical analysis showed a significant repetition effect in the learning trials."
Everyday
"The repetition of that advert on TV is driving me mad."
Technical
"The algorithm uses pattern repetition to compress the data file."
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He tends to repetitiously state his main point.
- The process was needlessly repetitious.
American English
- She repetitively asked the same question.
- The report was criticized for being repetitive.
adverb
British English
- The alarm sounded repetitiously throughout the night.
American English
- He tapped his pen repetitively on the desk.
adjective
British English
- The repetitious nature of the work led to boredom.
- He gave a repetitive strain injury.
American English
- The repetitive tasks were automated.
- Repetitive music patterns are common in trance.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Children learn by repetition.
- I don't like the repetition in this song.
- To memorise the poem, she used a lot of repetition.
- The film was boring because of the repetition of similar scenes.
- The report was criticised for its unnecessary repetition of previously stated facts.
- His argument suffered from tautological repetition.
- The composer employed isorhythmic repetition of a talea throughout the motet.
- Strategic repetition of key messages is a cornerstone of effective political communication.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
REPEAT + POSITION = REPETITION. Think of something being in the position of being repeated.
Conceptual Metaphor
REPETITION IS A CIRCLE/LOOP; REPETITION IS MONOTONY/DRUDGERY.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'репетиция' (rehearsal). The Russian 'повторение' is a direct equivalent.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'repetition' as a countable noun for a single instance (e.g., 'He did a repetition' is unusual; prefer 'He did a repeat' or 'He repeated it').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'repetition' most likely to have a positive connotation?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is primarily an uncountable noun (e.g., 'too much repetition'). It can be countable when referring to specific instances or copies (e.g., 'several repetitions of the experiment'), but this is less common.
'Repetition' is a noun referring to the act or instance of repeating. 'Reiterate' is a verb meaning to say something again or repeatedly for emphasis.
Yes, particularly in educational, training, musical, or ritual contexts where repetition is seen as necessary for learning, mastery, or creating a desired effect (e.g., 'The rhythmic repetition created a hypnotic state').
The main adjectives are 'repetitive' (more common, often neutral/negative) and 'repetitious' (less common, often negative). The adverb forms are 'repetitively' and 'repetitiously'.
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