What Is Repetition in Writing? | Definition & Examples
Repetition is using the same word, phrase, or sound more than once in a short passage. When a writer employs repetition, they do it purposefully to add emphasis and provide clarity. We encounter this technique in all types of writing, but it is more frequently used in songs, poetry, and speeches.
—Robert Frost, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”
What is repetition in writing?
Repetition is a broad term including different literary and rhetorical devices collectively known as figures of repetition. It may involve repetition of words, sounds, clauses, or ideas within close proximity of each other.
When wielded artfully, it can be an effective strategy for achieving emphasis, adding rhythm, and highlighting deeper meanings in a text or speech. In the previous example from Robert Frost’s poem, the repeated phrase “miles to go before I sleep” emphasizes the speaker’s obligations and responsibilities still ahead. Through repetition, Frost slows the rhythm of the poem, allowing readers to pause and reflect on the significance of the journey and the double meaning of the word “sleep,” both literal (rest) and figurative (death).
Repetition vs redundancy
There is a fine line between repetition and redundancy; repetition is useful and adds to the meaning of a text.
In contrast, redundancy is needless repetition that does not contribute anything; it takes up space and is more likely to overwhelm readers or listeners. Overusing repetition can lead to redundancy and diminish its impact.
| Example | Explanation |
|---|---|
| The lecture went on and on; I thought it would never end. | The phrase “on and on” is an example of purposeful repetition. It emphasizes the seemingly endless nature of the lecture. |
| I made a recording so I can repeat the lecture again. | The word “repeat” already implies “again,” so adding “again” is redundant. |
Types of repetition in writing
Repetition in writing can take different forms depending on the effect the writer wants to create:
- Repetition of letters, syllables, and sounds
- Repetition of words, clauses, and phrases
- Repetition of ideas
Repetition of letters, syllables, and sounds
Various literary devices rely on repetition of specific vowel or consonant sounds and appeal to our sense of hearing. These devices often add musicality, emphasize certain words or phrases, and affect the rhythm and mood of a text.
- Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sound in the beginning of two or more stressed syllables, such as the “w” sound in “weak and weary.”
- Assonance occurs when two or more words repeat the same vowel sound, usually in the middle of the word, as in “surf and turf.”
- Consonance is the repetition of identical consonant sounds before and after different vowels. For example, “slip – slop; creak – croak.”
Repetition of words, clauses or phrases
Many figures of speech play with the order in which repeated words appear in clauses or sentences. Their effects include emphasizing key ideas, creating rhythm, enhancing memorability, and drawing the reader’s attention to important points.
- Anadiplosis occurs when the last word of one clause or sentence is repeated at the beginning of the next. We often find anadiplosis in speeches as it provides a link and a logical progression between thoughts. For example, “Our grief has turned to anger, and anger to resolution.”
- Anaphora is the repetition of the same word or group of words at the beginning of several clauses, sentences, or lines of poetry. This serves to emphasize an idea or emotion and create a rhythmic effect. For example, “…we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds …”
- Epistrophe is the repetition of the same word or group of words at the end of successive sentences, clauses, or phrases. Abraham Lincoln’s famous quote “…that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth” is an example of epistrophe.
- Polyptoton is the repetition of words derived from the same root but in different forms. It often suggests change from one state to another, just as the repeated word changes from one form to another. For example, “Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds.”
- Polysyndeton is a figure of speech in which a series of words, phrases, or clauses are connected with the repeated use of the same conjunction—typically “and,” “or,” and “but.” This slows down the rhythm of the text, often giving it a solemn tone. For example, “And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and everything that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”
Repetition of ideas
Certain rhetorical devices repeat ideas rather than specific words or sounds to reinforce meaning or create emphasis.
- Chiasmus is a rhetorical device that repeats ideas in reverse order to highlight balance or contrast. For instance, “Love without end, and without measure Grace.”
- Negative-positive restatement is a form of repetition in which an idea is stated twice, first in negative terms and then in positive terms. James Baldwin’s quote: “Color is not a human or personal reality; it is a political reality” is an example of this.
- Pleonasm is the use of more words than necessary to express an idea. Like other forms of repetition, pleonasm repeats elements (words or meanings), but unlike other rhetorical devices (e.g., anaphora, epistrophe), pleonasm is often seen as a form of redundancy. However, pleonasm can also be deliberately used for emphasis. For example,“I didn’t believe it until I heard it with my own ears.”
Overall, repetition in its various forms emphasizes key ideas, creates rhythm, and engages readers or listeners. Writers and speakers use these techniques to make their words more memorable and impactful.
Repetition examples
Repetition appears across many forms of writing, from speeches and poetry to prose. While rhetorical repetition often serves to persuade, inspire, or emphasize key ideas, poetic and literary repetition tends to evoke emotion, create rhythm, or highlight thematic contrasts.
Rhetorical repetition examples
Below are examples of repetition from famous speeches.
| Type | Description | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anaphora | Repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses, sentences, or phrases | I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up …I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia …I have a dream that my four little children will one day …
—Martin Luther King Jr., I Have a Dream speech |
Emphasizes hope and equality, reinforcing the key theme of the speech |
| Epistrophe | Repetition of a word or phrase at the end of successive clauses, sentences, or phrases | The time for the healing of the wounds has come. The moment to bridge the chasms that divides [sic] us has come. The time to build is upon us.
—Nelson Mandela, Presidential Inaugural Address |
Draws attention to the repeated phrase, creating a sense of inevitability |
| Antimetabole | The words in one phrase or clause are repeated, exactly or closely, in reverse grammatical order in the next phrase or clause | Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate.
—John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address |
The symmetrical structure emphasizes the importance of principled negotiation and makes the quote more memorable |
| Anadiplosis | Repetition of the last word or phrase of one clause at the beginning of the next clause | If Selma taught us anything, it’s that our work is never done. It’s never done because the fight for justice is never finished.
—Barack Obama, Selma Anniversary Speech |
Reinforces the ongoing nature of the struggle for justice |
Poetic and literary repetition examples
The following examples illustrate how repetition is used in poetry and prose.
| Type | Description | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epizeuxis | Repetition of a word in immediate succession for emphasis | “O horror, horror, horror! Tongue nor heart cannot conceive nor name thee!”
—Macbeth by Shakespeare (Act 2, Scene 3) |
The immediate repetition intensifies Macduff’s shock and grief as he announces the King’s death |
| Anaphora | The repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of every clause | “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness …”
—A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens |
The repetitive structure highlights the contradictions of the era |
| Antanaclasis | Repeated use of the same word or phrase, but with a different meaning each time | “Yet she must die, else she’ll betray more men. / Put out the light, and then put out the light.”
—Othello by Shakespeare (Act 5, Scene 2) |
The first “light” refers to the candle, while the second refers to Desdemona’s life. This is a combination of antanaclasis and figurative language |
| Polyptoton | Repeated use of words with the same root | “What I’ve dared, I’ve willed; and what I’ve willed, I’ll do! They think me mad—Starbuck does; but I’m demoniac, I am madness maddened!”
—Moby Dick by Herman Melville |
The use of polyptoton here intensifies Ahab’s emotional state and underscores his insanity |
Related terms
Several literary terms involve repetition as part of their function:
- Motif: A recurring element, pattern, or idea that has symbolic significance. Unlike repetition, which often operates on word or sentence level, a motif recurs across an entire narrative, creating thematic cohesion rather than immediate emphasis. For example, the green light in The Great Gatsby symbolizes Gatsby’s unattainable dreams and the broader theme of the American Dream.
- Parallelism: The repetition of similar grammatical structures within sentences or phrases for effect. For example, “I came, I saw, I conquered.” Parallelism creates balance and enhances clarity.
- Refrain: A repeated line or phrase in a poem or song, typically occurring at the end of each stanza or verse. In “The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe, the word “Nevermore” is a refrain—it appears multiple times throughout the poem, emphasizing the inevitability of loss.
Frequently asked questions about repetition
- What are figures of repetition?
-
Figures of repetition are a subset of rhetorical figures that involve the repetition of words, phrases, sounds, or structures to create emphasis, rhythm, or emotional effect. They are part of the broader category of rhetorical devices used in writing and speech. Examples include assonance, anadiplosis, and epistrophe.
- What is the difference between parallelism and repetition?
-
The main difference between parallelism and repetition is their focus and purpose.
- Parallelism uses similar grammatical structures in phrases or clauses to create balance and clarity, making sentences easier to read. For example, “He likes swimming, hiking, and camping” illustrates parallelism.
- Repetition is a broader term that includes figures of speech like anaphora and alliteration, emphasizing content and emotional impact. By repeating sounds, words, or phrases, it can highlight a point or create rhythm.
While all parallelism involves repetition, not all repetition follows a balanced structure. However, they can overlap, as seen in Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, where the repeated phrase “I have a dream” provides both rhythmic emphasis and structural balance.
- Why do writers use repetition?
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Writers use repetition to make their words more memorable and impactful. It helps them emphasize key ideas, create rhythm, and build emotional resonance. By repeating certain phrases or concepts, writers can simplify complex ideas, making them easier to understand and remember.
Additionally, repetition creates patterns that connect different parts of their work. Whether in speeches, poetry, or prose, repetition reinforces the message and ensures it sticks in the audience’s mind.
