reduplication

noun

ri-ˌdü-pli-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce reduplication (audio)
Definition of reduplicationnext
1
as in reproduction
something that is made to look exactly like something else that old-looking colonial mansion is actually a 20th-century reduplication of the original, which was destroyed many years ago

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in repetition
the act of saying or doing over again ever since I was forced to do a reduplication of a day's work, I've been more conscientious about hitting my computer's "save" button

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of reduplication And yet…the rhyme schemes, the reduplication, the semantic shifts, the conversions, the deliberate grammatical oddities, and rich double entendres–Carpenter is, for some people, the greatest poet to have ever put pen to paper. — Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2024 TikTok is a compound word that’s called (take a deep breath) an ablaut-shift reduplication because only the internal vowel changes. — Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Mar. 2024 The collection, dubbed with another fun reduplication, Bon Bon, was inspired by the packaging for the Apple AirPods. — Leilani Marie Labong, SFChronicle.com, 26 June 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reduplication
  1. reproduction
  2. repetition
  3. copy
  4. repeat
  5. replica
  6. imitation
Noun
  • This body of research forms some of the latticework of a social-reproduction theory of education, in which public schools are largely perceived as reflecting and reinforcing the socioeconomic structures of their surrounding community.
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Bell replied in his usual jovial manner, agreeing to the reproduction of his photo in the forthcoming article.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of reproduction
Noun
  • Perform 5 to 10 repetitions of whichever variation is appropriate for you.
    — Dana Santas, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
  • One possibly surprising tool to map out shots for the film to ensure the visual representation of this repetition and cycle was Microsoft Excel.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of repetition
Noun
  • Junior finance candidates at GoCardless used to be given a data set and a copy of Excel as part of the final round of testing.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Officials hadn’t been served with a copy of the complaint as of Thursday afternoon.
    — Russell Lissau, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of copy
Noun
  • French authorities are intent on preventing a repeat of recent violent unrest.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Huntington’s is the result of a three-letter repeat, and researchers have spent years attempting to lower the levels of the RNA and protein this gene produces.
    — Anil Oza, STAT, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of repeat
Noun
  • Later, however, a faithful replica, also called the Atlantic, was built.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 25 Oct. 2026
  • That team, fittingly enough, will be honored during the Hurricanes’ game on Saturday against Pittsburgh, with the current team wearing replica jerseys to recognize the group.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of replica
Noun
  • Instead, the rest of the world must learn from China without mistaking adaptation for imitation.
    — Ruby Wang, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The team that opened the season as the overwhelming favorite to win Super Bowl LXI continued to look like a cheap imitation.
    — Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of imitation

Browse Nearby Words

reduplicating
reduplication
reduplications
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reduplication.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reduplication. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on reduplication

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about reduplication

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All