Repetitive: meaning, definitions and examples

Used to describe something that involves doing the same thing over and over again, often implying that it can become boring or tiresome.

• The tasks on the assembly line are very repetitive.
• She found the job to be repetitive and unchallenging.

Used to describe something that repeats, often unnecessarily or excessively. It is generally used in a negative context to criticize the lack of originality.

• The essay was criticized for being repetitious and lacking new ideas.
• Her storytelling can be quite repetitious, with the same details shared over and over.

Used to describe something that is dull and lacks variety, making it boring. It strongly implies that there's no change or excitement.

• His voice sounded monotonous during the entire lecture.
• The workday was long and monotonous, with nothing new happening.

Used to describe regular, usual, and customary activities that are done habitually, often without much thought. It can be neutral or slightly boring but doesn't have a strong negative connotation.

• He followed his morning routine to the letter.
• Going to the gym has become part of my daily routine.

Best used when describing something that happens over and over in a monotonous or unvaried way, often leading to boredom.

• The job involved performing the same repetitive tasks every day.
• Listening to the same song on repeat can be quite repetitive.

Refers to something that happens repeatedly, at intervals, and often expectedly. It is commonly used in contexts such as scheduling, events, or problems that come back over time.

• He had a recurring nightmare about falling.
• They scheduled a recurring meeting every Monday morning.

Employed to describe something that occurs in cycles or patterns, often in a predictable manner. This term is frequently used in economics, nature, or any context where patterns or trends repeat over time.

• The economy is known for its cyclical nature, with periods of growth followed by recessions.
• Many natural processes, like the seasons, are cyclical.

Used in technical or creative contexts to describe something that continues indefinitely until stopped, such as a piece of music or a segment of code. Often associated with technology and entertainment.

• The video was looped so it played continuously without stopping.
• In programming, a looped function will run repeatedly until a specific condition is met.