Redundancies

1. ATM machine, PIN number, etc.
2. 10 a.m. in the morning
3. Up to, maybe more
4. Each and every
5. Ten different people
6. Best ever
7. All-time record
8. Exact same
9. Fall down, rise up
10. Hollow tube

Use our handy form at the bottom of this page to add your examples.

GUI Interface. This acronym is a computer term for "Graphical User Interface," which is a method of telling your computer what you want it to do for you. Once again, they just can't seem to keep it short and simple so they have to make the shorter version longer. — Submitted by Gregg Merritt.

Pre-existing Condition. We know what is meant but it is totally inaccurate in its prevalent use. It really has a very narrow and theological use. Only God is, or has been, preexisting. At least nothing else, or anyone other than Him, claims to actually be preexisting. So, lets say you have a health condition prior to being insured, it should be a prior/previous condition or pre-insured condition not preexisting condition. — Submitted by Ben Marshall of Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA.

Foot pedal. A pedal is by definition a machine part operated by a person's foot. Therefore, adding "foot" makes the expression redundant. — Submitted by Ed Lackey of Talking Rock, Georgia, USA.

LCD Display. Many computers are using Liquid Crystal Display monitors. Calling it an "LCD display" is redundant. — Submitted by Gregg of Portsmouth, Virginia, USA.

A lot of redundancies are repeated parts of acronyms. What's the point of shortening a phrase with an acronym if you're going to use one of the words in the acronym anyway?

ABS System. ABSstands forantilock braking system. Therefore, "ABS system" literally "means antilock braking system system." Let's put the brakes on these acronym redundancies. (Heard on a television commercial for a new model that features them.)

Annual APR.APR stands for "annual percentage rate." Therefore, "annual APR" is 100 percent redundant. 

ATM machine.ATM stands forautomatic teller machine. "ATM machine" literally means automatic teller machines machines, which is mechanically redundant. The common use of this redundancy is remarkable.

Certified CNA.  ACNA is a "certified nursing assistant," so a certified CNA is literally a "certified certified nursing assistant," which is certifiably redundant. Seen in a help-wanted classified advertisement.

CTT Training. The US Army Common Task Training is enough training for most soldiers without having to overstate the word "training." Common Task Training Training is just cruelty.  Please don't confuse this with the US Air Force CCT Team. (Combat Control Team Team)  :-).— Submitted by Phil of Thomas, Fayetteville, NC.

DAT Tape. DAT is a Digital Audio Tape used for data storage. – Submitted by Tad of Norfolk, Virginia, USA.

DVD Disk.DVD means "digital video disk." Therefore,DVD diskmeans "digital video disk disk," which is a flat out redundancy.

EIN Number. The United States Internal Revenue Service requires all businesses and nonprofit organizations to have an employee identification number (EIN) for the purpose of tracking their finances for possible taxation. Therefore,EIN number literally means "employee identification number number," which employs a redundancy..

EMS Service.EMS standsfor emergency medical service, so "EMS service" literally means emergency medical service service. Heard on an ER television show 20 July 1999.

Estimated ETA.ETA stands forestimated time of arrival. Therefore, "estimated ETA" literally means estimated estimated time of arrival, which is decidedly redundant.

GIN in nature. In the world of government contracts, some jobs are designated "inherently government" jobs due to their nature. They are titled, "Government In Nature."  Many folks refer to the positions as "GIN in nature," which is redundant..— Submitted by Phil of Thomas, Fayetteville, NC.

GOP party. GOP stands forGrand Old Party, so "GOP party" is redundant. (from the Boston Herald, 27 Nov. 2000)

GPS system.GPS stands forglobal positioning system according the United States Federal Aviation Administration. Therefore, "GPS system" literally means global positioning system system, which is globally redundant. Some people say GPS stands for "global positioning satellites," but that is not consistent with official definitions.

HIV virus. According to Dictionary.Com,HIV stands for "Human Immunodeficiency Virus." Therefore, "HIV virus" is a sickening redundancy.— Heard on numerous TV news reports.

HOV vehicle. AnHOV is ahigh occupancy vehicle. The term applies to automobiles with a minimum number of passengers to qualify for traveling in a designated lane of an expressway in a United States city. Therefore, "HOV vehicle" literally means "High Occupancy Vehicle vehicle," which is highly redundant. Heard from a reporter on Fox News 23 March 1999.

IMC Conditions.The 'C' in IMC stands for conditions, so restating the word conditions is redundant.  Who would say, "Instrument Meteorological Conditions Conditions?" Pilots and forecasters would..— Submitted by Phil Thomas of Fayetteville, NC, USA..

IRA Account. The A in IRA stands for "account."  It is redundant to say an "Individual Retirement Account Account.".— Submitted by Phil of Thomas, Fayetteville, North Carolina, USA.

ISBN number. ISBN stands forInternational Standard Book Number. Therefore, "ISBN number" is internationally redundant. 

Jeb Bush. "Jeb" is not actually his name. It is a nickname based upon his initials, John Ellis Bush.  Therefore, Jeb Bush is "John Ellis Bush Bush."— Submitted by Don Jaramillo of Santa Clara, California, USA.

NIC Card. An NIC (Network Interface Card) should never be referred to as a Network Interface Card card.— Submitted by Dave Campbell of Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA.

PIN number.PIN stands forpersonal identification number. So "PIN number" literally means personal identification number number, which is personally redundant. The frequent use of this redundancy is amazing.

Please RSVP. "RSVP" is an acronym for a French phrase "Repondez S'il Vous Plait," which means "respond if you please." Therefore, "please RSVP is redundant."-- Submitted by Stacey of Spring Valley, California, USA. 

PTO time. In this context,PTO meanspersonal time off. Therefore, "PTO time" literally means "personal time off time." This redundancy is on all the time. When PTO stands for Parent Teacher Organization, PTO time would not be redundant.

SAM missile.SAM means "surface-to-air missile," so "SAM missile" literally means "surface-to-air missile missile," which is redundant from the ground up. Heard on MSNBC 7 Oct. 2001.

SAT tests. SAT stands forScholastic Aptitude Tests andScholastic Assessment Tests. So "SAT tests" literally means scholastic aptitude/assessment tests tests, which is not a scholarly construction. This redundancy has been heard and read innumerable times in media reports and web sites. The number of educators who use this redundancy is appalling.

SIC Code. SIC in this usage stands forStandard Industrial Classification, according to theDictionary of Business and Management by Jerry M. Rosenberg. However, Acronym.Com states that SIC also stands forstandard industrial code. If the first (official) meaning is intended, the acronym is not redundant.

UPC code.UPC stands forUniversal Product Code. It is the numerical and bar code shown on nearly all consumer packages for scanning at the checkout counters. So "UPC code" literally means Universal Product Code code, which is universally redundant.

VHF Frequency. The 'F' stands for frequency, so stating "VHF frequency" is like saying "very high frequency frequency." The same applies to "UHF Frequency."— Submitted by Phil Thomas of Fayetteville, NC, USA.

VIN number.VIN stands forvehicle identification number. "VIN number" literally means vehicle identification number number, which is redundant.

WAAS System.WAASstands for Wide Area Augmentation System. Therefore, "WAAS System" literally means Wide Area Augmentation System System, which is systematically redundant. Seen on the Garmin global positioning system web site.

Want to know more about acronyms? Go toAcronym Finder. We consult this site frequently. Don't forget to come back!

Included but not limited to.Include means some. It means other similar items are not part of the group under discussion. It means the discussion is not limited to the other items. Therefore, "but not limited to" is redundant.  It's the same as "some but not all."

Many but not all.Many means "a large, indefinite number."All means "the entire number, amount or quantity." Given thatmany andall are not synonymous, there is no need for qualifyingmany with "but not all." This redundancy is similar to "some but not all."

Never ever.Never means not ever, so "never ever" literally means not ever ever. Such a redundancy can be selectively used for emphasis, but the meaning is often repeated needlessly, which makes it redundant.

Some but not all.Somemeans "a portion" and "not all," so the "but not all" is considerably redundant. It's the same as "included but not limited to" and "many but not all."

Actual experience.All experiences are actual. If they are not actual, they are dreams, fantasies or hallucinations, but not experiences. Dreaming, fantasizing and hallucinating can be a real activities, but what happens in them are not experiences. The same condition applies to "real experience."

All time record. Arecord is "the best performance known," and "the fastest speed, greatest amount, highest achievement, etc." Given its relation to superlative adjectives (best, fastest, greatest, highest, etc.), a record would be more or better than anything else of its category that ever existed or happened. Accordingly, the record is for all time, and "all time record" is always redundant.

All year round. "All year" and "year round" mean the same thing.-- Submitted by Stacey of Spring Valley, California, USA.

font size=-1>Alleged Suspect. It's just like saying "maybe he might have done that." Newscasters do this to avoid the appearance that they are saying someone is guilty. — Submitted by Jon Hartshorn of Kenton, Ohio, USA.

"Annular ring-like structure."Quoted from FoxNews.Com on 25 July, 2000, in reference to rings of debris around an exploded star.Annular means ring like, so this redundant construction goes around and around, doesn't it?

Any arbitrary. Any means "something taken at random." Arbitrary according to a secondary definition, means "something coming about seemingly at random or by chance."  So that means "any arbitrary," as in "You can select 'any arbitrary' combination of letters and numbers for your password," is redundant.  Submitted by Katherine Schlem of Olathe, Kansas, USA.

Authentic replica.According to Dictionary.Com,authenticmeans "not counterfeit or copied," andreplicameans "a copy or reproduction, especially one on a scale smaller than the original." Heard this redundancy at an auction house (obviously of a dubious nature).  — Submitted by A. Nonymous.

Away from. Away means "from this or that place ," andfrom means "physical separation," which carries the same meaning asaway. Additionally, the definition ofaway contains the wordfrom. On these two counts, the common association "away from" is doubly redundant.

Balsa wood. Balsais (1) "a tropical American tree having wood that is soft, very light in weight, and that is used as a substitute for cork in insulation, floats, and crafts such as model airplanes. and (2) a the wood from a balsa tree" (Dictionary.Com). Therefore, "balsa wood" literally means "balsa wood wood." 

Brief summary.Asummary is "a condensation of a larger work" and "something that presents an idea in brief form." Therefore, "brief summary" is redundant. We recognize that some summaries are not brief, but that condition reflects a problem with the summary. Any "summary" that is not brief is not a true summary.

Broad spectrum. Spectrum means "a broad or varied range of related values or qualities or ideas
or activities," according to Dictionary.Com. So "broad spectrum" is broadly redundant.  — Submitted by Joel Esterman, Havertown, Pennsylvania, USA.

Cabal of people. A cabal is a group of people. So a cabal of people is literally a "group of people of people," which is redundant.

Cameo appearance. Acameo is "a brief but dramatic appearance of a prominent actor in a single scene on a television show or motion picture" according to the American Heritage Dictionary, and "a minor but well-defined role in a play, movie, etc., especially when performed by a notable actor" according to Simon & Schuster's New World Dictionary. The term is also used in reference to Alfred Hitchcock's brief appearances in nearly all his movies. Even though he was not an actor, most would agree that the term applies. Both dictionaries classifycameo as a noun or verb, not an adjective. Therefore, "cameo appearance" is visibly redundant and improper grammar as well!

Capitol building.When spelled with an o, "capitol" means building. When spelled with an "a," it means a city. Therefore, "capitol building" is redundant when written. This redundancy does not apply to speech, because the listener cannot know which spelling the speaker is using.

Close proximity.  According to Dictionary.Com,proximity means "being near or next; closeness." Therefore, "close proximity" is proximately redundant.  — Submitted by Joel Esterman, Havertown,
 Pennsylvania, USA.

Close scrutiny.  According to Dictionary.Com,scrutiny means "close, careful examination or study,"
and "close observation or surveillance." Therefore, "close scrutiny" is obviously redundant. (Similar to "scrutinize in detail" listed separately.) — Submitted by Joel Esterman, Havertown, Pennsylvania, USA.

Collaborate together. Collaborate means to work together, sometimes legally and sometimes illegally. So "collaborate together" is redundant.

Complete Stop.  Astop is a cessation of movement. A person or thing is either stopped or moving, so the modifier "complete" is unnecessary. This redundancy, which is commonly used by airline flight attendants upon a flight's arrival at an airport, should be stopped.— Submitted by Joel Esterman, Havertown, Pennsylvania, USA.

Complete total. All totals are complete. If they are not complete, they are subtotals. This redundancy is the same as "full total."

Completely destroyed. All destruction is complete. Otherwise, it is damage. Therefore, "completely destroyed" is completely redundant. This redundancy is frequently used by print and broadcast news reporters who should know better. This redundancy is the same as "fully destroyed."

Completely engulfed. Engulf means "to surround and enclose completely." Therefore, "completely engulfed" means "completely enclosed completely," which is redundant from all sides. (heard on television news about a house fire).

Completely surrounded. Surrounded means "enclosed on all sides." Being enclosed on all sides is as complete as an enclosure can get, so "completely surrounded" is redundant.

Consensus of opinion. Aconsensus is a collective opinion, one that everyone in the group has. Therefore, "consensus of opinion" literally means "collective opinion of opinion," which is redundant. See also General consensus.

Constantly maintained. Maintain means to keep in a constant state. Given that maintain is constant, "constantly maintained" is constantly redundant. (Seen in a Federal Aviation Administration manual about altitudes.)

Continue on.  "The definition of continue is 'to go on with a particular action . . .'  according to the American Heritage College Dictionary, Third Edition," writes Carol of Oklahoma USA, "Therefore, the 'on' is redundant."

Contract agreement. Acontract is an agreement, so "contract agreement" is agreeably redundant.

Could possibly. This phrase is always redundant, notwithstanding its frequent use and some people's defense of it. Could is a conditional auxiliary verb that means possibility (among other things). Therefore,possiblyis not necessary.

Daily per diem. Per diem means "by the day," and "per day." Accordingly, "daily per diem" literally means "by the day daily " or "per day daily," both of which are redundant by day and night. (Used by a loan officer)

Deliberate arson. Arson is the deliberate and malicious setting of fires. Therefore, "deliberate arson" is redundant. (It's the same as "intentional arson."

Disappear from sight.Whenever something disappears, it can no longer be seen. So "disappear from sight" is visibly redundant.

Different [such and such]. Too often, the adjectivedifferent is used without any regard to need. As examples: Five different people. Three different places. Seven different times. In each example, the people, places and times can never be the same. They might resemble one another, but they are never alike in all respects, so they must be and are inherently different. We couldn't have five of the same people, or three of the same places or seven of the same times, so there is no need whatsoever to specify that they are different.

Door hinge. Ahinge is "a jointed or flexible device that allows the turning or pivoting of a part such as a door or lid" (Dictionary.Com). Sodoor hinge would be appropriate for distinguishing from alid hinge, but this distinction is usually unnecessary.

Duplicate copy.Duplicates and copies are the same.-- Submitted by Stacey of Spring Valley, California, USA.

Empty vacuum. Vacuums are spaces devoid of matter. Anything that is devoid of matter is empty, so "empty vacuum" is fully redundant.

End result. Anend is a result and aresult is an end, so "end result" is redundant.

Electrical voltage.Voltage is an expression or measure of electrical force. Therefore, "electrical voltage" is shockingly redundant.

Eventually in the future. Most things that happen eventually happen in the future. Even when the past is being recounted, the eventual event happens after another.

Every single.Every andsingle each mean one, so this common phrase is considerably redundant.

Evolve over time.Evolve means "to develop, change or achieve over time." Therefore, "evolve over time" is redundant. We could say or write something less general without being redundant, such as "evolved over millions of years."

Exact same.Exact andsame have identical meanings, so this common phrase is redundant. If the items being compared are not exact or the same, they are similar. This redundancy is the same as "same identical."

Face mask. Amask is a "covering worn on the face," according to the American Heritage Dictionary. Therefore, "face mask" is redundant on its face.

Falsely padded accounts. Padding an account is the same as falsifying it. Any account that is padded has been falsified. Padding an account without falsifying it is impossible. For these reasons, this popular accounting phrase is redundant.

Farther away, farther from. Anything that moves away or from a reference point or location moves farther, so we do not need to add the modifier.

Fire hydrant. Ahydrant is a large discharge pipe with a valve for drawing water from a water main. 

Whetherfire hydrant is a redundancy depends on the dictionary being used. Funk and Wagnalls says a hydrant is for fighting fires. The American Heritage Dictionary and Simon and Schuster's New World Dictionary sayhydrantis synonymous withfireplug. All three dictionaries say afireplug is a hydrant to which a hose can be attached for fighting fires. Dictionary.Com says a hydrant is "a discharge pipe with a valve and spout at which water may be drawn from the mains of waterworks; a water plug." 

We offered to remove this reference if anybody could identify a hydrant that is not intended for fighting fires. A reader, Jim Quist, wrote to inform us that hydrants are also used in farming and aviation (not fire fighting in farming or aviation). Therefore,fire hydrant is not redundant.

First of all.First is usually of all that follows, unless specifically excepted. Therefore, "first of all" is often redundant.

First-time precedent.Aprecedent is something that sets a standard for future judgment. Usually, something sets a precedent the first time it happens, so "first time precedent" would be redundant.

Free gift. Allgifts are free, or they are not gifts. Therefore, "free gifts" is freely redundant.  This redundancy is often used by advertisers because the word "free" is usually more emphatic than the word "gift."

Fresh-baked bread. Have you ever seen or heard of anybody baking stale bread? —Submitted by Harvey Slarsky of West Palm Beach, Florida, USA.

Frozen tundra.  Atundra is "a treeless area between the ice cap and the tree line of Arctic regions,
having a permanently frozen subsoil and supporting low-growing vegetation such as lichens, mosses,
and stunted shrubs," according to Dictionary.Com. So this redundancy should be permanently frozen
from use. — Submitted by Joel Esterman, Havertown, Pennsylvania, USA.

Full to capacity. Full means "containing all that is possible," (among other things). Therefore, "full to capacity is fully redundant. (Actually seen in a dictionary definition of "saturated.")

General consensus. In addition to being a collective opinion, aconsensus is a general agreement or accord. Therefore, a "general consensus" is literally a "general general agreement or accord," which is redundant. See also Consensus of opinion.

Give away. Most giving is away. An exception is the idiom in which "giving away" regards the revealing of information or an answer instead of literally giving anything to anyone else. Therefore, "giving away" is usually redundant with the noted exception.

Grand total. Atotal is the sum of all items or amounts in a set. Anything less is a subtotal. This phrase is all right when each set is the total of other sets, but the phrase is used so carelessly that it is often used redundantly.

Grant agreement. Agrant is a contract under which a party (such as a government) gives a specified amount of money to a another party (such as a nonprofit organization) with conditions to which both parties agree. Being a contract, their grant is an agreement. So "grant agreement" is redundant. (see Contract Agreement)

Hawaiian luau. Aluau is "an elaborate Hawaiian celebration." Therefore, aHawaiian luau would be a "Hawaiian elaborate Hawaiian celebration," which would be elaborately redundant.

Head honcho. Ahoncho is "a leader" and "a person in charge." Therefore,head honcho is redundant. (Honcho is defined as slang by the American Heritage Dictionary.)

His/her own autobiography. Anautobiography is a biography written by oneself about oneself. Anybody's autobiography his or her own, and the possessive pronouns/adjectives "his" and "her" indicate who owns the autobiography, so "his/her own autobiography" is redundant.

Hot water heater. If the water is hot, it need not be heated.  Correct referral is "water heater." We are actually heating cold water to make it hot.— Submitted by "SCL" of Boise, Idaho, USA.

Hollow tube. Atube is a hollow cylinder. If it isn't hollow, it isn't a tube. Therefore, "hollow tube" is redundant.

Huddle together.Huddle means "to crowd together," and "to draw oneself together, to curl up." Such a crowd or position is called "a huddle." Therefore, "huddle together" literally means "crowd together together," which is a crowded redundancy.

Ink Pen. Is there something else one would find in a pen? I have heard this used in the mid-west [USA]. — Submitted by Jim of Manchester, New Hampshire, USA. [Editor's note: All pens use ink. People mistakenly use "ink pen" in reference to ball-point pen. This redundancy is used everywhere, including in New England.]

Intentional arson.Arson is fire set with intention, so all arson fires are intentional. There is no such thing as accidental arson. This redundancy is the same as "deliberate arson."

Intentional fraud.  One of the five conditions of fraud is intent. If the person doesn't intend to defraud, there is no fraud in the eyes of the law, regardless of whatever else happens. Therefore, "intentional fraud" is redundant. (The other four conditions are falsehood, knowledge of the falsehood by the perpetrator, reliance on that falsehood by the victim, and damage resulting from that falsehood.) — Seen in an Associated Press article about insurance fraud laws, 1 October 2001.

Intentionally left blank. In a legal document, you'll sometimes see the phrase "this page intentionally left blank". The page is no longer blank.— Submitted by Andy Roben of Edmonds, WA, USA..

Intuitively obvious.Intuitive means something known without apparent thought or inference.Obvious means something easily discovered or observed. Submitted by Katherine Schlem of Olathe, Kansas, USA.

Lag behind, lagging behind. Anything thatlags does so behind that which it lags. It never lags ahead of anything. Therefore, "lagging behind" is redundant.

Local vernacular.Vernacular is local language, replete with idioms, pronunciations and unique word usages. Therefore, "local vernacular" is redundant.

Long litany.  Alitany, according to Dictionary.Com, is "a long address or recital such as 'a litany of
complaints.'" Accordingly, this phrase fits perfectly in our litany of redundancies. — Submitted by Joel Esterman, Havertown, Pennsylvania, USA.

Major feat. Afeat is a major accomplishment. Therefore, "major feat" is a major redundancy.

Many different people. If there are many people, they are different. We could never have many of the same people, even if they were clones (they would be many clones of the same person). Therefore, "many different people" and its numerous variants such as "five different subjects," "many different cities"  and "several different types" are all redundant.

Merge together.Merging is a particular method of combining things into one. Because it isn't possible to merge anything apart, "merge together" is redundant. It's the same as "group together," and "join together."

Mix together.Tomix means to "combine or blend into one mass or mixture." Given that there is no way to mix anything apart, "mix together" is redundant.

Month of [such and such]. Phrases such as "month of January" and so forth are redundant, because everyone already knows that January and the other months are months. Such phrases are especially redundant when a year is specified, such as "month of January 1999."

Most favorite. Afavorite is something people like more than anything else, which is whatmost means. So "most favorite" is clearly redundant.

Most unique.Unique means one of a kind.  You can't have varying degrees of one of a kind.— Submitted by Paul Pedersen of North Bay, Ontario, Canada. 

Editors' Note: This redundancy is similar to "very unique," which is listed separately.

Nape of the neck. Thenape is the back part of a neck. No other part of a body has a nape. Therefore, nape of the neck is a pain-in-the-neck redundancy. It's the same as "palm of the hand" and "sole of the foot."

Natural attrition.Attritionis the gradual wearing down, a gradual reduction in numbers. All attrition are natural.— Submitted by Madge Hammond of Laguna Woods, California, USA.

New innovation. Aninnovation is something newly introduced. Therefore, "new innovation" is redundant. This redundancy has been heard many times, including from a journalist on NBC News "Dateline" 24 October 1999 in reference to a new fire-fighting product. 

One single. When used together, as in "not one single person was injured," this phrase is redundant, becauseone andsingle mean the same thing.

One-time single review. If the review is one time, it is single. Therefore, this phrase, which is common in accounting and auditing, is considerably redundant.

Open Trench.Trenches must be open. They cannot be closed, or the trench disappears.  If the trench were not open, it would not be a trench.  This redundancy is used often in construction zones on signs.  Submitted by Katherine Schlem of Olathe, Kansas.  [Ditto "open pit."]

Pair of twins. Atwin is one of two offspring from the same birth. Together, both of them aretwins. Given that a twin is one of two and twins are both of them, "pair of twins" is doubly redundant.

Paired in twos.Apairis two people or items associated in form, function or other logical manner. Given that a pair is two, "paired in twos" is twice as redundant.

Palm of the hand. Thepalm is the inner surface of a hand from the wrist to the base of the fingers. No other part of a body has a palm. We wouldn't say or write "finger of the hand," so there's no reason for saying or writing "palm of the hand." It's the same as "nape of the neck" and "sole of the foot."

Past history. All history is in the past. No history is in the present or future. Therefore, "past history" is historically redundant. Ditto "prior history."

Perfect circle. Acircle is a geometric shape in which all points on the circle's circumference are an equal distance from the circle's central point. When the shape meets this criteria, it's a circle. If it doesn't meet this criteria, it is an oval or something else, but not a circle. Therefore "perfect circle" is redundant.

Perfect square. Asquare is a four-sided geometric shape with each side equal in length to one another and parallel to their opposite sides. If the shape meets this criteria, it's a square. If it doesn't, it's something else, maybe a parallelogram, maybe a pentagon, maybe a triangle, maybe a trapezoid, but not a square. Therefore, "perfect square" is redundant.

Period of time. Aperiod is a duration of time. Therefore, "period of time" is always redundant.

Plunge down. Two of seven meanings ofplunge shown by Dictionary.Com include going down: "to descend steeply; fall precipitously; to move forward and downward violently." Therefore, "plunge down," as heard on the Weather Channel regarding decreasing temperatures, is deeply redundant.

Prepay first.Prepaymeans to pay before doing something else, such as paying for gasoline before pumping. "Prepay First" is posted on dozens of gas pumps. One cannot prepay after the fact, so to say to prepay first is impossible. — Submitted by Mindy of Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.

Preplanned. Planning is done in advance. To pre-plan would be to do something before you do something in advance.-- Submitted by Michael of Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.

Presliced bread. Bread is either sliced or not sliced.  Therefore, presliced bread is whole bread, but that is never the state referred to by people hawking "presliced bread."  They should simply say it
is sliced.  — Submitted by Mindy of Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.

Rain precipitation.Precipitation is water falling from the sky in the form of rain or snow, so "rain precipitation" and "snow precipitation," both of which you will hear meteorologists use frequently, are redundant phrases.

Rare albino.Albinos are animals lacking normal pigmentation. In addition to being abnormal, they are quite rare. So "rare albino" is redundant. (Seen in the Knoxville, Tennessee, News-Sentinel.)

Rebel Rebellion. Torebel (verb) is "to resist or defy authority or generally accepted convention," according to the American Heritage Dictionary.  Arebel (noun) is a person who rebels. Arebellion (noun) is a show of defiance, and the people who do it are rebels. Given that all rebellions are done by rebels, there is no need to further indicate this fact by writing "rebel rebellion," as the Knoxville News Sentinel did on March 18, 2001.

Red in color.Red is a color, so "red in color" is redundant. The same applies to all the other colors, too.

Revert back.Revert means to return to a former condition, location or practice. Since returning always goes backward, "revert back" is redundant. We couldn't revert ahead, could we?

Sahara desert.  TheSahara is "a vast desert of northern Africa extending east from the Atlantic coast
to the Nile Valley and south from the Atlas Mountains to the region of the Sudan," according to
Dictionary.Com. There being no other use for "Sahara," this word is adequate by itself. — Submitted by Joel Esterman, Havertown, Pennsylvania, USA.

Same identical.Same andidentical have the same meanings. If the items being compared are not exact or identical, they are similar.

Scrutinize in detail.Scrutinize means to examine something in detail. We cannot scrutinize anything in general. Therefore, scrutinize in detail is redundant.

Several different people. Given that each person is different from every other person, several people would have to be different from one another. Therefore, "several different people" is redundant.

Six-legged insect. All insects have six legs. That's what defines them as insects. If the creature doesn't have six legs, it isn't an insect. 

Short blurb. Ablurb is a brief notice, such as on a book cover or in a newspaper or magazine. "Short blurb" would normally be redundant, unless the blurb itself was shorter than ordinary.

Snow precipitation. See "rain precipitation."

Soggy water."Houses were flooded with soggy water," said CNN on 22 June 2003 about heavy spring rains in Appalachia." 

Sole of the foot. The sole is the underside of a foot. No other part of a body has a sole. Therefore, "sole of the foot" is redundant. We wouldn't say or write "toe of the foot," so there's no reason for saying or writing "sole of the foot."

Sole proprietorship. Aproprietorship is a business owned by one person. Businesses owned by more than one person are partnerships or corporations. Therefore, "sole proprietorship" is solely redundant, regardless of the term's unabashed use in business-school textbooks.

Spliced together. Splice means "to join at the ends." Because any things that are joined anywhere must be together rather than apart, then "spliced together" is redundant.

Still remains.  In this usage, these words mean the following:Still means "up to or at the time indicated, as in "still awake."Remainmeans "to continue without change or condition." Although the two definitions are not exactly alike, the meanings derived from them are similar enough to be considered redundant. (This redundancy was submitted anonymously.)

Sweeping broom.A broom is a tool used for sweeping. Therefore, "sweeping broom" is redundant.  — Submitted by Marcy of Fredericktown, Ohio, USA.

Sworn affidavit. Toswear is to give evidence or testimony under oath, andsworn is past tense ofswear. Anaffidavit is a written statement made under oath. If document isn't sworn, it isn't an affidavit. 

Temporary interim director. This phrase would be redundant in most circumstances, and we thought it was when we heard it. But it is a necessary clarification, according to the official explanation. The interim director resigned, so they appointed atemporary interim director until a permanent interim director could be named. Confusing? Yes. Redundant? No.

Terrible tragedy. A tragedy is "A disastrous event, a fatal and mournful event, an event resulting in great loss and misfortune", according to Dictionary.Com. There could be some appropriate uses, however, such as showing that a given tragedy is worse than others or a tragic play whose quality was terrible. But the phrase is often used redundantly.— Submitted by John Cimino of Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, USA.

That particular. In this usage,that is a demonstrative adjective specifying a certain person, thing, time or place. It already carries the meaning thatparticular adds, so this phrase is redundant. To say or write "that [person, thing, time or place]" is sufficient. Ditto "this particular."

The hoi polloi.Hoi polloi is Greek for "the people." Thus, translated, it means "the the people." Submitted by Aram of Brooklyn, New York, USA.

These Ones. Thesedefines what is being spoken of.Ones is just an extra word that has no purpose to the statement and is therefore redundant. — Submitted by Heather of San Bernadino Mountains, California, USA.

This particular. In this usage,this is a demonstrative adjective specifying a certain person, thing, time or place. It already carries the meaning thatparticular adds, so this phrase is redundant. To say or write "this [person, thing, time or place]" is sufficient. Ditto "that particular."

Together. Beware of using this adverb with verbs that include the notion of "together" in their meanings. Examples include and "cobble together," "link together, "join together," "merge together" and "mix together."

Too much excess. Anyexcess is too much, so "too much excess" is excessively redundant.

Totally [such and such]. The adverbtotally is frequently used to add meaning to words that already convey that meaning. As examples: Totally Demolished. Totally destroyed. Totally surrounded. Demolition and destruction are total. If the damage is not total, it is not demolition or destruction.

Traveling northbound."Northbound means "traveling in a northerly direction."-- Submitted by John Lafferty of Ione, California, USA

Trickle down. If something is trickling, the laws of gravity basically ensure that it is going down.— Submitted by Kris South, Miles City, Montana, USA.

True fact. Afact is "reality; actuality; truth," according to Dictionary.Com. Therefore, "true fact" is truthfully and factually redundant.

Tuna fish. Tuna is a type of fish, so using the word "tuna" to modify "fish" is needless and therefore redundant.

Two twins. Twins are two of something. Two twins would be four of something.-- Submitted by Stacey of Spring Valley, California, USA.

Unmet Need. Aneedis "a condition or situation in which something is required or wanted,"according to Dictionary.Com. Unmetmeans "not satisfied or fulfilled." A condition of being not satisfied or fulfilled is one in which a need is present, thusunmetis an unnecessary modifier ofneed. — Submitted by Ben Fitz of Brooklyn, New York, USA

Unsolved Mystery.What other kind of mystery can there be? Mysteries can only be unsolved. You might as well say mystery mystery or unknown mystery. There is even no such thing as a solved mystery, only former mysteries. You wouldn't say something was purely impure to say it was now cleansed. You can only say something “was a mystery”. —Submitted by Ben of Marshall, Maryland, USA.

Uplifting.Lifting is always up, so "uplifting" would be redundant in constructions such as "uplifting of clouds." But the word carries additional meanings, such as "inspiring" and "improving," so it would not be redundant in those contexts.— Submitted by Kevin Nesbitt of Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada.

Vertical column. Acolumn is a vertical structure such as a pillar on a building or "a column of mercury" in a thermometer. It is also the vertical member of a table, as compared to the rows, which are horizontal. Therefore, "vertical column" is quite redundant.

Vertical Dive.Adive is a nose-down descent at a speed exceeding that of a free fall. Given that all dives and descents go down, they are all vertical. Therefore, we believe "vertical dive" is redundant. Heard on Fox News 25 October 1999 regarding an airplane crash. Ditto "vertical drop." 

However, Iain Dawson of Coventry, United Kingdom, writes that a dive does not have to be vertical, that it may have a horizontal component as well, as in a 60-degree dive.  If "vertical dive" refers to a straight down dive, then it would not be redundant. The context in which we heard it on Fox News did not meet this condition. 

Vertical Drop.  Same offense as "vertical dive," and heard at the same place and time.

Very end. There is only one end of anything, and it's the final thing. Emphasizing one end over another with "very" is pointless and very redundant.

Very saturated. Saturated means "full," "drenched," "soaked," and "unable to hold more," according to Dictionary.Com. It's another of several absolute terms that need no further emphasis.  (Heard from a local television weather reporter regarding heavy rains and resultant flood warnings.)

Very unique.Unique means unlike all other things. It is absolute. There is no degree of being unlike everything else. Nothing is slightly unique or moderately unique. So "very unique" is very redundant.

White albino. Being animals lacking normal pigmentation, all albinos are considered white (even if they appear pinkish). Some are white as snow, while others are white figuratively. For this reason, "white albino" is redundant.

White snow. Most snow is white, so specifying that it's white is redundant. Specifying yellow or black snow (tainted) would be sensible, however. Submitted anonymously by a reader who wrote: "I heard it on a TV program -- the speaker was very excited about describing the stuff that was sprinkled on Santa Claus setting."

Whole repertoire. Arepertoire is a complete selection of music, songs, poetry and so forth that performers will perform. Therefore, "whole repertoire" is wholly redundant.

Year 2000. This combination is so redundant that its frequent use is odd. We don't say "year 1999," or "year 1990" or "year 1900" and so forth, so why do we need to explain that 2000 is a year? It's the same redundancy as "month of January." Are we going to call every year a year from now on, such as year 2001, year 2002 and so forth? Hopefully not.

Add more.More is usually not needed when used withadd, as in this example: "add more resources." We would  not add less or fewer resources, would we, so "add resources" is good enough.

Advanced planning. Allplanning is for the future, so it is always in advance.

Aid and assist.Aid means to help and assist.Assist means to help and aid. Given that both these words mean the same thing, they are not aiding or assisting anything except redundancy. Heard on Court TV on 26 July 1999.

Anecdotal story. Ananecdote is a story, so "anecdotal story" is quite redundant.

Annual recurring costs.Annual means every year andrecurring means happening again and again. Therefore, if the costs are annual, they are recurring and this phrase is redundant.

Any and all.These words mean the same thing. Any means one or the whole, and all means the whole. So "any and all" is always redundant.

Best ever, biggest ever, fastest ever, etc.Best,biggest andfastest are superlative adjectives. This means that they describe a condition that is more so than all others. Nothing can be faster than the fastest, bigger than the biggest and better than the best. Therefore, "best ever, "biggest ever" and "fastest ever" (and all similar constructions) are most redundant.

Causal effect. Aneffect is "that which is produced by a cause or agent" according to Dictionary.Com. Given that all effects have some sort of cause, "causal effect" is effectively redundant. Submitted by "Enzinger" of Brooklyn, New York, USA.

Changes and alterations.Changes andalterations are the same thing, so this common phrase is redundant.

Companies and businesses.Companies arebusiness andbusinesses arecompanies, so these words do not need to be used together.

Continuously and Frequently.  We recently learned of a city ordinance holding owners liable for "continuously and frequently barking dogs." These terms are different enough that the phrase is nonsense.Continuously means: "Uninterrupted in time, sequence, substance, or extent."Frequently means: "At frequent or short intervals; many times; often; repeatedly." (Dictionary.Com) Barking cannot be uninterrupted and in short intervals. Therefore, dogs can bark continuously or frequently, but not both.– Submitted by Bill Stack of Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.

Costs and expenses.  Anexpense is a type ofcost. This phrase can be all right in some uses and redundant in others. 

Drawer that pulls out. A drawer is a compartment in a piece of furniture that is accessed by pulling it out and returned to its storage position by pushing it in. Because every drawer does this, specifying a drawer that pulls out doesn't distinguish it from any other drawer. Therefore, "drawer that pulls out" is redundant.  — Submitted by Marcy of Fredericktown, Ohio, USA.

Due and owing.This phrase is so commonly used by bankers, accountants, bill collectors and the like that its usage is widely accepted without regard to how redundant it is. "Due" means a debt is owing on a specific date and/or time. If a bill is due, it is therefore owing, so this phrase is duly redundant.

Each and every.Here's another widely used redundant phrase.Each means one of two or more items considered individually. Every means constituting each and all members of a group without exception. When we want to focus on and/or emphasize the items individually as part of the group, we use each. When we want to focus on and/or emphasize the whole group, we use every.

Ever before.Before regards every moment prior to a specified moment. Therefore, "ever before" is redundant before our eyes.

Exact and precise. These words mean the same thing, so using them together is redundant.

First and foremost. Foremost means "first in time or place," according to Dictionary.Com. Therefore, "first and foremost" is redundant.

Fraud scam. Example: "Officials foiled what could be a $3 million fraud scam." FoxNews.Com, 24 March 2000. According to Dictionary.Com,fraud is "a deception deliberately practiced in order to secure unfair or unlawful gain," andscam is "a fraudulent business scheme." With the word "fraud" being used to define "scam," then "fraud scam" is indisputably redundant. 

Full and complete stop. "Someone else mentioned stewardesses saying 'complete stop,' but how about this double redundancy that stewardesses say even more often?"— Submitted by David Smith of Vancouver, Washington, USA.

If and when.This is a wordy phrase in which only one of the two conditions needs to be stated. "If" is conditional conjunction, meaning that under a certain condition another condition is so, should be so or will be so. "When" is a conjunction (in this usage) specifying that the dependent condition should or will occur at the time the controlling condition happens. As examples: We might cross a bridge if we reach it, meaning we won't cross it if we don't reach it. Or we might cross the bridge when we reach it, meaning we won't cross it before or after we reach it. We don't need to specify both conditions, so the phrase is redundant.

Improve and enhance.Improveand enhance each mean to make something better. Therefore, the expression "improve and enhance" is redundant, and the writer would improve or enhance the report by using one term or the other. (Read in a semi-annual report of the US Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General.

Insignificant and unimportant.Insignificant meansunimportant and vice versa, so these words do not need to be used together.

Irregardless. Webster's Dictionarydefines this as a substandard or humorous redundancy for regardless, meaning "without regard." The double negative ("ir" prefix and "less" suffix) does not make it positive (i.e., "with regard") nor modify the semantics of the standard term, regardless. — Submitted by Jim Jones of Lamoni, Iowa, USA  (This nonword is also listed on ourGrammar Page.  — Editors)

Limits and restrictions.Limits andrestrictions both mean boundaries that cannot be crossed. Therefore, they are redundant when used together in this sense.

Management and control. Acontrol is an aspect of management, so management and control is redundant. It is the as "furniture and chair."

One and only. This statement is redundant, because it repeats the fact that the subject being referred to is an individual.— Submitted by Kristie King of Waterford, Michigan, USA.

One of the only.Only means "one," so "one of the only" is singularly redundant. The phrase should be "one of the few."— Submitted by TopSkills editorial staff.

Pick and choose.Pick means to choose andchoose means to pick, so these words do not need to be used together.

Request Demand. This phrase is commonly used by audience members asking musicians to perform desired songs. But "request" and "demand" have different meanings, so the person either requests a song or demands it, but not both. Therefore, this phrase is redundant.— Submitted by Jesse Slokum of Bloomington, Indiana, USA. As a musician, he has heard this redundant phrase often.

Terms and conditions.Acondition of a contract is also aterm of that contract, so "terms and conditions" is unconditionally redundant.

Throughout the entire. Examples: "snow is falling throughout our entire area," and "the memo was distributed throughout the entire organization" and "the market fell throughout the entire day."Throughout means "all parts," "everywhere" and "during an entire period."Entire means "all" and "having no part excluded." Therefore, this phrase is entirely redundant.

Twenty-four hours ago yesterday. "Yesterday" is another word describing twenty four hours ago.— Submitted by Brian K. of Malden, Massachusetts, USA.

Whether or not. Whether is a conjunction that introduces one alternative. It does not need the "or not."  — Submitted by Bob Wheaton of Annapolis, Maryland, USA.

Superficial means "apparent rather than substantial." Superficial phrases and sentences say what is obvious.

It goes without saying that . . .  If something goes without saying, then it need not be said. So the remainder of the sentence or the opening clause is unnecessary. Either way, this introductory clause reveals a redundancy somewhere in the sentence. The same condition applies to "needless to say."— Submitted by Marty Carpenter of Santa Rosa, California, USA.

As you know . . .Sentences, paragraphs, letters and memos that begin this way beg their readers to ask this question: "Since I already know, why are you telling me?"

Sometimes entire sentences are redundant, because they describe what is obvious. The following superficial sentences were obtained from various business documents. 

"Because management did not implement internal controls, it cannot assure the stockholders that it has internal controls."

"The employee was absent, because he did not report for work."

"The form cannot be read, because it is illegible."

"The cash box was empty; therefore, the money was not contained in it."

Another type of superficial sentence repeats what has already been said but in different words. For example:

"Always fuel the kerosene heater outdoors and when the heater is cool. Never fuel it indoors or when it is hot." 

The second sentence says the same as the first but in negative terms instead of positive. Unless the negative restatement is useful for emphasis, it is redundant.

Superficial sentences reflect shallow thinking and can be distracting to readers and listeners and embarrassing or humiliating to writers and speakers. Usually, the writer or speaker can write or say a more meaningful sentence with a little deeper thought about the subject.

"A minimum of X, maybe more." Phrases such as the following are very redundant. "A minimum of 50 people were involved, maybe more" and "a minimum of three weeks, maybe more, is needed."Minimum means "the lowest number possible," so "a minimum of 50 people" or "a minimum of three" means that a number exceeding the specified amount (50 or three in these examples) is possible. To repeat it is to be verbose and therefore redundant.

Actually. When used in a declarative sentence, "actually" can be unnecessary. A declarative sentence states a fact or an opinion as fact. When the fact is obvious, then the "actually" is unnecessary, as in the following example: "Washington, D.C. is actually in none of the 50 United States." When used deliberately to distinguish a fact from an opinion, the word can be useful to the sentence. The same situation applies to "in fact."

At all.At all means "totally," and "whatsoever." It is useful for emphasis, as in the following example: "Redundancies should not be used at all." Often it is needless and therefore redundant.

At this time."'At this time' can be left out almost every time it is used," writes Steve Moody of Harlem, Georgia, USA. "The rest of  the time, it can be replaced with 'now.' Steve is right. This phrase is verbose, because a simple three-letter word works just as well. Steve is also right when he writes: "Worse is 'at this point in time.' And worst is 'at this particular point it time.' Once you finish saying it, 'this particular point in time' is gone. (See alsothis particular.)

At this particular point in time. This could be simplified to the word: "now."— Submitted anonymously.

For all intents and purposes. Intents and purposes mean the same thing. They are so similar that Dictionary.Com and other dictionaries use each word to define the other. Unfortunately, the utterers of this cliché and redundant phrase use it without intent or purpose.

Going forward I intend to. We cannot intend to do anything in the past, so we do not need to specify that we intend to do it in the future. "I often hear this said in meetings. Generally when referring to a change in process or new strategy. It always has struck me as a particularly ridiculous sentence." — Submitted by Stuart Burke of Tokyo, Japan. 

Just. The adjective "just" is often needless, as in "just as many," and "just as well." A simpler phrase, "as many," conveys the same meaning with fewer words.

In conjunction with.  With is a preposition showing close association or agreement, among many other meanings. It is sufficient without "in conjunction." This phrase exemplifies needless words used from bad habit. — Submitted by Mindy of Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.

Indeed.Indeed means "without doubt," "certainly," and "unquestionably." When used for emphasis, it can be useful and appropriate, as in this example: "This was indeed a remarkable achievement." But this word is usually used habitually, which often makes it unnecessary and therefore redundant. Reserve this word for emphasis and don't use it habitually.

In excess of more than $500,000. "In excess of" and "more than" convey the same meaning, is clearly redundant. Heard on the local evening TV news. — Graciously submitted by the TopSkills staff.

In fact. When used in a declarative sentence, "in fact" can be unnecessary. For example: "George Washington was, in fact, the first president of the United States." The same situation applies to "actually."

Out. The word "out" is often used needlessly. A common example is "help out," as in "help out needy people." The word adds nothing to that sentence and is therefore redundant. Other uses do add meaning, "bail out a company" and "wash out a road."

Out of. Phrases such as "four out of ten" contain a needless word — out. "Four of ten" works as well and is simpler.

Point of Fact.  Adding "fact" to "point" adds nothing to the meaning of the statement.— Submitted by William M. Burbank, Esq. of Costa Mesa, California, USA.

Quite.Quitemeans "actually," "completely," and "rather." When used for emphasis, it can be useful and appropriate, as in this example: "This was quite a remarkable event." But this word is often used habitually, which can make it unnecessary and therefore redundant. Reserve this word for emphasis and don't use it habitually.

Totally. When used synonymously with "very," as in "totally awesome," it is redundant for the same reason that "very" is redundant. (Seevery.)

Up to and more. This phrase and others like it are often heard from weather forecasters. When they say "up to 12 inches of snow and more, they literally mean zero to infinity. "Up to" means from zero to the specified point, which in this example is 12. "Maybe more" means from the specified point, which in this example is 12, and higher with no limit being specified. They are clearly verbose and ludicrous. The speakers and writers should say and write a reasonable range such as "10 to 15 inches" or "up to 20 inches," and so forth.

Very.Verymeans "in high degree," extreme," and "truly." When used for emphasis, it can be useful and appropriate, as in this example: "This was a very exciting day." But this word is often used habitually, which can make it unnecessary and therefore redundant. Reserve this word for emphasis and don't use it habitually. Some editors advise not using it at all, but that prohibition is very extreme, indeed!

What I'm saying is . . .This common introduction is a lot of words that add nothing. The simplest, most straightforward approach is to say or write whatever we have to say or write and get on with our messages. The same applies to "what we're doing is . . ."

Whatsoever.Whatsoever means "totally," and "fully." It is useful for emphasis, as in the following example: "No one whatsoever will be allowed to swim alone." Sometimes, however, it is needless and therefore redundant.

Many verb phrases contain words that add nothing. Usually, the needless word is a preposition following the verb. Removing those needless words simplifies speech and writing without altering the meaning.

Add up.  Added numbers always result in higher numbers, so indicating upwards is unnecessary and therefore redundant.

Close down. In this context,close means "to bring to an end" or "brought to an end," as in "to close the store for the day" or "the store is closed for the day." Thedown adds no meaning to the phrase, so it is redundant.

Close up.  Same as "close down."

Dwindle down. Dwindle means "to become gradually less until little remains." The meaning of "down" that fits this context is "to a reduced level." Therefore, "dwindle down" is redundant. (Read in a newspaper headline.)

Fall down. Anything that falls moves downward, so adding thedown is redundant.

Hurry up.Hurry says it all, so adding theup adds nothing but an extra word.

Open up.  In this context,open means "to commence," as in "to open up a store." Because theup adds no meaning, it us redundant. 

Rise up.Rise means to move upward. When cakes, people and the sun rise, they are moving upward. Nothing can rise down. Therefore, "rise up" is redundant.

Seal up.Seal means to "close something securely," such as a package, an envelope or a building. Theup adds nothing to this phrase, so it is redundant.

Shut down. Same as "close down."

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