Recurring vs Reoccurring l Difference & Definitions
Recurring and reoccurring both mean “happening again” and are often used interchangeably. However, recurring generally implies the additional meaning of repetition, especially frequent or periodic repetition.
As an adjective, “recurring” is used much more frequently than “reoccurring.” We rarely need to use either of these words as present participles (i.e., verbs).
- Use recurring to emphasize the regularly or periodically repeating nature of an event/occurrence (e.g., “a constantly recurring problem”).
- Use recurring in mathematical contexts to describe a decimal with a digit or group of digits that repeats indefinitely (i.e., “a recurring decimal”).
| Recurring in a sentence | Reoccuring in a sentence |
|---|---|
| Forgiveness is a constantly recurring theme in the book. | It has only happened once, but we’re concerned about the issue reoccurring at some point. |
| Unfortunately, this has become a recurring complaint. | The medicine should prevent the infection from reoccurring. |
| If you divide the number 1 by 3, the result is the recurring decimal 0.333… | He said that the malfunction had been reoccurring in the past few days. |
Similarly, in progressive perfect tenses, use “reoccurring” to express that a repeating occurrence is/was “happening again” (e.g., “The issue was fixed but has been reoccurring recently”).
Recurring definition
The adjective recurring means “happening repeatedly,” especially frequently or periodically.
It often combines with the nouns “theme,” “dream,” “problem,” and “pattern,” and it is pronounced with the main stress on the second syllable [re-curr-ing].
He’s been having recurring anxiety dreams.
I think it’s a unique issue rather than a recurring problem.
Reoccurring meaning
Reoccurring is the present participle of the verb “reoccur,” which means “happen again.” Unlike the verb “recur,” “reoccur” does not imply the additional meaning of frequent or periodic repetition. The same is true for the related adjectives “recurring” and “reoccurring.”
As an adjective, “reoccurring” is much less common than recurring because most things we need to describe as “happening again” are in contexts that involve frequent or regular repetition.
The word “reoccurring” is pronounced with the main stress on the third syllable [re-o-ccurr-ing].
How can we stop this issue from reoccurring?
The doctor seemed concerned that the symptoms had been reoccurring.
Recurrent vs recurring
The adjectives recurrent and recurring both mean “happening repeatedly” and are often used interchangeably.
Recurrent is common in medical contexts (e.g., “recurrent disease/infection/fever”). In anatomy, it is also used with a different meaning, where it appears in the names of certain nerves and arteries that run in the opposite direction to other nearby structures (e.g., “the recurrent laryngeal nerve”).
Recurrent is also sometimes the preferred choice to emphasize the aspect of “returning from the past” rather than simply “repeating.”
| Recurrent in a sentence | Recurring in a sentence |
|---|---|
| The patient presented with a recurrent episode of acute pain. | Last year, she landed the role of a recurring character in a hit TV show. |
| It is a recurrent problem that we thought had been resolved last year. | It’s a recurring problem that happens almost every day. |
Frequently asked questions about recurring vs reoccurring
- Is it recur or reoccur?
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The verbs recur and reoccur (recurring and reoccurring in their present participle forms) both mean to “happen again” and can often be used interchangeably.
“Recur” is frequently the preferred choice in the context of regularly or periodically repeating events/occurrences (e.g., “This theme recurs throughout the book”).
If we’re describing something that happens again, but not regularly or periodically, then “reoccur” is often preferred (e.g., “This theme reoccurs in the second act of the play”).
You can use QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to help you use “recur” and “reoccur” correctly in your writing.
- What does recurringly mean?
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Recurringly is a rarely used alternative to the adverb “recurrently” and means “repeatedly” (e.g., “He has voiced this opinion recurringly”).
It’s important to note that the related words recurring and reoccurring both mean “happening again,” but “recurring” generally also suggests frequent or regular repetition (e.g., “a recurring pattern”).
Use QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to help you use “recur,” “reoccur,” and their related forms correctly.
- Is reaccuring a word?
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Reaccuring is not a word. It is a misspelling of the word “reoccurring,” which is the present participle form of the verb “reoccur.”
Bear in mind that the words reoccurring and recurring both mean “happening again,” but “recurring” generally also implies frequent or regular repetition (e.g., “a recurring dream”).
Use QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to help avoid common misspellings such as “reaccuring.”
- Is reccuring a word?
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Reccuring is a common typo (misspelling) of the word “recurring” (spelled with one “c” and double “r”). “Recurring” is the adjective form of the verb “recur.”
Bear in mind that the adjectives recurring and reoccurring both mean “happening again,” but “recurring” also conveys the idea of frequent or periodic repetition (e.g., “a recurring nightmare”).
Use QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to help avoid common typos such as “reccuring.”
