repeatedly

American

[ri-pee-tid-lee] / rɪˈpi tɪd li /

adverb

again and again; over and over.

Once I got into the music and started listening to it repeatedly, I was able to piece together the lyrics.

Etymology

Origin of repeatedly

repeated ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

To do something repeatedly means to do it over and over again. If you text your friend repeatedly during her geometry test, she'll probably get annoyed and turn her phone off. If a teacher tells a student, "I've told you repeatedly that you need to raise your hand before you speak," it means that the teacher has said this many times. This adverb implies an ongoing or even constant kind of activity. At the heart of repeatedly is the verb repeat, which has the Latin root repetere, "do or say again," or "attack again."

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

San Francisco Fire Department officials have also repeatedly complained about robotaxis getting in the way of emergency responses.

From BBC • May 2, 2026

"This single event contrasts starkly with carcinization, which has occurred repeatedly across decapod species," Kawabata explains.

From Science Daily • May 2, 2026

The video shows Niemi and his associates repeatedly ask the Vulins to “stop following” them.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

Warsh has said repeatedly that he favors lower rates.

From Barron's • May 1, 2026

I thought it was Francis or Henry—both of whom I’d tried to reach repeatedly the night before—or maybe even Camilla, but it was Charles.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023