repetition

noun

rep·​e·​ti·​tion ˌre-pə-ˈti-shən How to pronounce repetition (audio)
Synonyms of repetition
1
a
: the act or an instance of repeating or being repeated
b
: a motion or exercise (such as a push-up) that is repeated and usually counted
2
: mention, recital
repetitional
ˌre-pə-ˈti-sh(ə-)nəl How to pronounce repetition (audio)
adjective

Synonyms of repetition

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of repetition in a Sentence

Sometimes repetition is necessary to drive a point home. Children's songs involve lots of repetition. I quit my job at the factory because I hated the mindless repetition.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
It’s engineered through preparation, repetition and design discipline. — Srini Srinivasan, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Nothing is overly emphasized, but viewers who know the visual language of the show will recognize the repetition, like the second half of a rhyming couplet that completes this section of the story. — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2026 Early engines were still relatively easy to influence with obvious signals like keyword repetition, metadata, and submission tactics. — Alan Bradley, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026 Complete eight to 10 repetitions, then switch your stance and repeat on the opposite side. — Dana Santas, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for repetition

Word History

Etymology

Middle English repeticion, from Middle French, from Latin repetition-, repetitio, from repetere to repeat

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of repetition was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing repetition

Rhymes for repetition

See All Rhymes for repetition

Browse Nearby Words

repetiteur
repetition
repetitional
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Repetition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/repetition. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

repetition

noun
rep·​e·​ti·​tion ˌrep-ə-ˈtish-ən How to pronounce repetition (audio)
1
a
: the act or an instance of repeating
b
: a motion or exercise (as a push-up) that is repeated and usually counted
2
: something repeated

More from Merriam-Webster on repetition

Nglish: Translation of repetition for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about repetition

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of salvo

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

'Gaslighting,' 'Woke,' 'Democracy,' and Other Top Lookups
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All