repeatedly

repeatedly — adverb

1. happening or being done many times, often in a way that is deliberate or that fo

1.adverbC1
Definition

happening or being done many times, often in a way that is deliberate or that forms a clear pattern

Example

Rin has repeatedly asked her tutor for extra help with algebra.

repeatedly + present perfect: asks many times up to now

The old bridge was repeatedly damaged by floods over the past decade.

passive: be + repeatedly + past participle

Common collocations
  • repeatedly asked
  • repeatedly told
  • repeatedly stressed
  • repeatedly warned
  • repeatedly demonstrated
  • repeatedly violated
  • repeatedly failed
  • repeatedly denied
  • was repeatedly delayed
  • has been repeatedly criticized
Synonyms
  • again and again

    more conversational and less formal; common in everyday speech

  • time after time

    slightly narrative or emotional tone, often used in complaints or admiration

  • incessantly

    stronger and more formal; suggests continuous, non-stop action that feels annoying or excessive

  • continually

    implies happening repeatedly over a period, often with the sense of ongoing duration rather than discrete instances

Antonyms
  • once

    a single occurrence, the opposite of many times

Grammar Patterns

repeatedly + verb

be + repeatedly + past participle

Usage Note

Unlike 'frequently', which focuses on how often something occurs over time, 'repeatedly' emphasises that the same action happens again and again, often deliberately. It is common in formal and written English, particularly in news reports, academic writing, and official statements.

Common Mistakes

I repeatedly visit the market — maybe twice a week.
I frequently visit the market
maybe twice a week.' — 'repeatedly' implies doing something many times in succession or with determination, not just regular visits.
The boring lecturer spoke repeatedly in the same tone.
The boring lecturer spoke repetitively in the same tone.
'repetitively' describes dull, unchanging repetition; 'repeatedly' simply means many times.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All five expressions describe repeated action, but they differ in register and nuance. 'Again and again' is the most conversational and direct — you would use it in everyday talk. 'Time after time' adds a storytelling or emotional colour, often implying frustration or admiration. 'Frequently' focuses on short intervals between occurrences rather than deliberate repetition: a bus runs frequently, but a child repeatedly asks for a snack. 'Incessantly' is stronger and more formal, carrying a tone of annoyance or excess — a dripping tap runs incessantly, not just repeatedly. 'Continually' suggests something that happens over and over across a span of time, sometimes with the sense of ongoing duration. In formal writing, 'repeatedly' is the safest general-purpose choice because it is neutral in tone and fits most contexts.

again and againtime after timefrequently ↗incessantlycontinually ↗

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Formed from the past participle 'repeated' (from Latin 'repetere', meaning 'to do again or seek again', itself from 're-' 'again' + 'petere' 'to seek') plus the adverb suffix '-ly'. The word entered English use in the late 16th century, originally meaning 'in a repeated manner'.