Redundancy: meaning, definitions and examples

Often used in professional or technical contexts to describe something that is unnecessarily repeated or included, especially when it adds no additional value.

• The report contained a lot of redundancy, making it hard to read.
• To reduce redundancy in our code, we need to refactor it.

Specifically refers to the act of doing or saying something again and again, often leading to a message being over-emphasized or causing boredom.

• The teacher asked us to avoid repetition in our essays.
• His constant repetition of the same joke became annoying.

Typically used in more formal or literary settings to describe something unnecessary or more than what is needed, often with a slightly negative connotation.

• The luxury hotel was criticized for its superfluity of amenities.
• Her speech was filled with superfluity, making it lose impact.

Commonly used to describe something that is more than what is needed or wanted, not limited to repetition and can apply to any situation with too much of something.

• Eating in excess can lead to health problems.
• There was an excess of enthusiasm in her speech.

Commonly used in British English, redundancy refers to the situation when an employer reduces their workforce because a job or jobs are no longer necessary. It often implies that the position itself is being eliminated rather than the employee's performance being the issue.

• The company announced several redundancies due to the merge with another firm.
• She received redundancy pay after her role was made redundant.

Dismissal refers to when an employee is terminated due to their performance, behavior, or conduct. It is typically seen as a negative action against the employee.

• He faced dismissal due to repeated tardiness.
• The employee contested his dismissal, claiming wrongful termination.

Termination is a formal term encompassing all types of involuntary ending of employment, including redundancy, dismissal, and layoff. It can be used in any situation where an employment contract is ended by the employer.

• The termination of his contract was abrupt and unexpected.
• She received a letter of termination from her employer.

Layoff is mainly used in American English and is similar to redundancy. It usually happens for economic reasons, and the employees may be rehired if the company’s situation improves. Layoffs are generally impersonal and not performance-based.

• The factory had to lay off 200 workers due to a downturn in sales.
• After the layoff, many employees struggled to find new jobs.

Often used in technical and business settings to describe a system design where multiple components perform the same function so that a failure in one won't cause the system to fail. It can also refer to situations where something is unnecessary or repetitive.

• The server has redundancy to ensure continuous operation even if one part fails.
• There is a redundancy in your report; you mentioned the same point twice.

Typically used when referring to creating copies of data to prevent loss, or in a general sense to support a plan or action.

• Make sure to back up your files before the system update.
• I always have a back-up plan in case things don't go as expected.

Used to describe something dependable that consistently performs well without failure. Often used in technology, engineering, and product reviews.

• The reliability of the new software is impressive; it has never crashed.
• Her reliability as an employee is one of her greatest strengths.

Usually refers to an extra item kept available for use if necessary. Commonly used in logistics, repairs, and everyday language.

• I keep a spare tire in the trunk of my car.
• Do we have any spare batteries for this remote?