Tautological - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Definition:
Repeating the same idea in different words, often unnecessarily.
Synonyms:
Repetitive, redundant, pleonastic, verbose
Part of Speech:
Adjective
Antonyms:
Concise, succinct
Common Collocations:
Tautological statement, tautological expression, tautological reasoning
Derivatives:
Tautologically, tautology
Usage Tips:
Avoid using tautological phrases like "free gift" to make your writing clearer and more concise.
Common Phrases:
Tautological phrase, tautological expression, saying the same thing twice
Etymology:
From Greek "tauto-" (the same) + "-logia" (speaking or reasoning).
Examples:
- 1. His explanation was tautological because it repeated the same point without adding new information.
- 2. The phrase "future plans" is often considered tautological since plans are inherently about the future.
- 3. She avoided tautological expressions to keep her speech concise and effective.
- 4. The argument became tautological when he kept restating his opinion without evidence.
- 5. Teachers encourage students to eliminate tautological phrases from their essays for clarity and precision."