repeat

American  

[ri-peet] / rɪˈpit /

verb (used with object)

• repeats,
  present (3rd person singular)
• repeated,
  past participle,  past
• repeating
  present participle

1. to say or utter again (something already said).

   to repeat a word for emphasis.

   Synonyms:

   rehearse, recite, iterate

2. to say or utter in reproducing the words, inflections, etc., of another.

   to repeat a sentence after the teacher.

3. to reproduce (utterances, sounds, etc.) in the manner of an echo, a phonograph, or the like.

   Synonyms:

   reecho, echo

4. to tell (something heard) to another or others.

5. to do, make, or perform again.

   to repeat an action.

6. to go through or undergo again.

   to repeat an experience.

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verb (used without object)

• repeats,
  present (3rd person singular)
• repeated,
  past participle,  past
• repeating
  present participle

1. to do or say something again.

2. to cause a slight regurgitation.

   The onions I ate are repeating on me.

3. to vote illegally by casting more than one vote in the same election.

noun

• repeats
  plural

1. the act of repeating.

2. something repeated; repetition.

3. a duplicate or reproduction of something.

4. a decorative pattern repeated, usually by printing, on a textile or the like.

5. Music.

   1. a passage to be repeated.

   2. a sign, as a vertical arrangement of dots, calling for the repetition of a passage.

6. a radio or television program that has been broadcast at least once before.

repeat British  

/ rɪˈpiːt /

verb

1. (when tr, may take a clause as object) to say or write (something) again, either once or several times; restate or reiterate

2. to do or experience (something) again once or several times

3. (intr) to occur more than once

   the last figure repeats

4. (tr; may take a clause as object) to reproduce (the words, sounds, etc) uttered by someone else; echo

5. (tr) to utter (a poem, speech, etc) from memory; recite

6. (intr)

   1. (of food) to be tasted again after ingestion as the result of belching or slight regurgitation

   2. to belch

7. (tr; may take a clause as object) to tell to another person (the words, esp secrets, imparted to one by someone else)

8. (intr) (of a clock) to strike the hour or quarter-hour just past, when a spring is pressed

9. (intr) to vote (illegally) more than once in a single election

10. to say or do the same thing more than once, esp so as to be tedious

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noun

1. 1. the act or an instance of repeating

   2. ( as modifier )

      a repeat performance

2. a word, action, etc, that is repeated

3. an order made out for goods, provisions, etc, that duplicates a previous order

4. a duplicate copy of something; reproduction

5. radio television a further broadcast of a programme, film, etc, which has been broadcast before

6. music a passage that is an exact restatement of the passage preceding it

Usage

Since again is part of the meaning of repeat , one should not say something is repeated again

Synonym Usage

Repeat, recapitulate, reiterate refer to saying a thing more than once. To repeat is to do or say something over again: to repeat a question, an order. To recapitulate is to restate in brief form, to summarize, often by repeating the principal points in a discourse: to recapitulate an argument. To reiterate is to do or say something over and over again, to repeat insistently: to reiterate a refusal, a demand.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonrepeat
  noun
• repeatability
  noun
• repeatable
  adjective
• self-repeating
  adjective
• unrepeatable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• repeats
  plural

Participles

• repeating
  present
• repeated
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• repeat
  simple
• repeats
  simple
• have repeated
  perfect
• has repeated
  perfect
• am repeating
  progressive
• are repeating
  progressive
• is repeating
  progressive
• have been repeating
  perfect progressive
• has been repeating
  perfect progressive

Past

• repeated
  simple
• had repeated
  perfect
• was repeating
  progressive
• were repeating
  progressive
• had been repeating
  perfect progressive

Future

• will repeat
  simple
• will have repeated
  perfect
• will be repeating
  progressive
• will have been repeating
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of repeat

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English repeten (verb), from Middle French repeter, from Latin repetere “to attack again, demand return of,” equivalent to re- re- + petere “to reach towards, seek” ( cf. perpetual, petulant)

Explanation

You can use the word repeat for things that happen again. You can use the word repeat for things that happen again. When you repeat, you do or say the same thing more than once. Sometimes you need to repeat what you said because someone didn’t hear it or understand it the first time, and other times you might repeat a statement for emphasis — you say it twice to really get your point across; in some cases you'll get "I heard you the first time" in return. Doing something over is another way to repeat, as when you repeat a test or draw a smiley face all over your notebooks in a repeat pattern.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

repeat repeats repeated repeating

She struggles with repeat infections of all kinds — ear infections, conjunctivitis, pneumonia — and the drug, which is approved to treat cystic fibrosis, has helped keep her healthy.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026

IPP sentences were introduced in 2005 and allowed judges to give out sentences with no maximum tariff to perpetrators of serious crimes or repeat offenders.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

"She was sad, but I said to her: 'If you have to repeat, you'll have an extra year at school.'"

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026

Both can be true without meaning he’ll repeat and sustain his early success.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

“We’re going to Mars,” I repeat, mostly because it makes me feel a good human emotion to say it.

From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga

"I told you, put your phone down," he repeats, louder this time.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

These drills include developing Taiwan’s use of “backbriefs,” where the person receiving instructions repeats it back to the leadership as confirmation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

Humans are raised to accept such things are part of a cycle that repeats no matter what we do, and regardless of whether whatever we’re doing impacts that cycle.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

The 2032 fix likely repeats this pattern in updated form.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 10, 2026

The thought repeats itself in my brain, gets stuck in a loop, all through the train ride back to Washington.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

De Kooning’s refusal to settle for a single approach is attested to by a series of cartoon-like standing figures, repeated by means of transfer techniques, that recalls those earlier efforts at illustration.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

The billionaire has since repeated that he is keeping the option of striking Tehran on the table, but prefers to stress the economic damage inflicted on the country through economic sanctions.

From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026

Throughout his storied career as a media executive, Bob Iger has made repeated attempts to own a major sports franchise.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

There have been repeated promises that lessons will be learned, followed by fresh complaints that victims are left to fight alone.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

“The Ho-lo-caust,” Maya-Jade repeated, enunciating each syllable like a kindergarten teacher.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

That story goes on repeating itself as fiercely as if it had never happened before, and I suspect it always will.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

"There is not only a process of repeating signs: there is real visuo-spatial planning, as if the authors already had an overall image of the figure in mind before engraving it."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026

Prosecutors asked that the charges be dismissed because the evidence no longer supported Pirro’s claim, evidence that, it bears repeating, had been available to the government the entire time.

From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026

It may be obvious, but is worth repeating: “hydrate,” say both Eisenman and Turner.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026

Nathan finished repeating the last phrase and opened his eyes.

From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young

Related Words

• echo
• recite
• rehash
• reiterate
• renew
• replay
• restate