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
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
The goal was to market something in every category, which led to the occasional tautology.
—Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 22 Aug. 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
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
The goal was to market something in every category, which led to the occasional tautology.
—Andrew Cockburn, Harper's Magazine, 22 Aug. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tautology
Noun
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Cornyn largely has stayed in Washington, mixing official Senate work with Texas campaign moments, such as a recent tour on the border, betting that repetition on TV can blunt grassroots skepticism and carry him into a runoff.—
Joseph Morton,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Feb. 2026
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The now memorable refrain came naturally, echoing the playful repetition and rhythm found in classic R&B records while staying grounded in a modern club setting.—
Malana VanTyler,
Miami Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Remaining on stage with gracious verbalism, Batiste first acknowledged the nominees.—
Allison Hazel,
Essence,
9 June 2021
Noun
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The repetitiveness of the plot is not helped by the many montages writer-director Yandy Laurens uses as shortcuts, instead of writing scenes that show how the central relationship is developing.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
15 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Reju positioned the project as part of its broader push to industrialize chemical recycling for apparel as Europe tightens circularity and traceability requirements.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
13 Feb. 2026
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Treating natural systems as core sporting assets makes circularity a business imperative.—
Sebastian Buckup,
Time,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
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And Vonn was already, without hyperbole, the biggest star of these Olympics.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
8 Feb. 2026
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Cramer was using hyperbole to make a point.—
Natasha Abellard,
CNBC,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Achillo Pinto touted the preservation of 50 jobs as part of the deal, while the remaining redundancies were supported in exiting the company with incentives, outplacement services, and relocation within the Como district.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
10 Feb. 2026
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The company emphasizes reliability, redundancy, and certification readiness as development priorities.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tautology.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tautology. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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