WordGarden.iorepeat
A1Pronunciation
UK
- /rɪpˈiːt/
US
- /riˈpit/
Meanings
Verb
to say, do, or happen again
to take the same class, course, or school year again
Adjective
happening again or involving the same thing again
Noun
a show or broadcast presented again
Beyond the definition
To repeat something is to say it, do it, or have it happen again. Think of a catchy song you can't get out of your head: it repeats in your mind. Or imagine practicing a skill; you repeat the same movements until they feel natural.
"Repeat after me" is a common phrase when someone is learning a new word or sound. A person who says the same thing again and again is often compared to a broken record. Sometimes repeating yourself can be annoying, but other times it helps with emphasis or clarity. In literature, writers use repetition to create rhythm or draw attention to an important idea. For example, Edgar Allan Poe repeats the word "Nevermore" in "The Raven" to strengthen the poem's dark mood.
The word repeat signifies the action of saying, doing, or experiencing something again. It's a versatile term with applications ranging from simple daily actions to complex scientific concepts. For example, the request "Please repeat the question" asks for clarification by requesting that something be said once more. Similarly, the common observation that "history often repeats itself" suggests that human patterns and global events tend to recur over time.
As a verb, repeat describes the act of performing an action multiple times, such as practicing a musical instrument or running laps to build endurance. It can also describe something happening again in a pattern, such as a sound echoing through a canyon or the same error showing up in a report.
However, repeat isn't always about intentional practice. Something can repeat unintentionally, such as a dream you have night after night or a mistake someone makes repeatedly. In computer science, "loops" are used to repeat a set of instructions automatically until a certain condition is met, allowing programs to handle massive amounts of data efficiently.
The noun form, "a repeat," often refers to something shown or done again, such as a repeat of a TV episode or a repeat performance of a successful show. It can also describe something copied from an earlier event or pattern.
So whether it's intentional practice, echoing sounds, recurring historical events, or simply saying something again for clarity, repeat encompasses the idea of recurrence and continuation—bringing things back for another round.
Examples
- 1
Polite request
Could you repeat the last part? I didn't catch it.
- 2
Speaking practice
Please repeat after me: "Turn left at the bank."
- Patternrepeat after someone
say the same words after they say them
- 3
Test practice
She repeated the exercise three times before the test.
- 4
Past mistakes
We can't afford to repeat the mistakes we made last year.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Design pattern
The same pattern repeats across the whole design.
- 6
Broadcast schedule
The documentary repeats tonight for people who missed it earlier.
- 7
Repeated warning
Sorry, I'm repeating myself, but you need to lock the door at night.
- Phraserepeat yourself
say the same thing again
- 8
Historical pattern
History doesn't repeat itself exactly, but it can feel familiar.
- Phraserepeat itself
happen again in a similar way
- 9
Loyal customers
Small businesses often depend on repeat customers.
- Phraserepeat customer
someone who comes back and buys again
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- repeatnounverb
Forms
- repeatedpast tenseverbnoun
- repeating-ing formverbnoun
- repeatspluralnounverb