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

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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
  • The roughly 25-acre farm is also home to a reproduction of the Salem Village Meeting House, the site of many early hearings about the Salem witchcraft hysteria.
    — Nicholas DeRenzo, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2026
  • If a reproduction looks too shiny, Quinn suggests using a matte spray to tone down the finish.
    — Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of reproduction
Noun
  • Yayoi Kusama, whose obsessive repetitions of dots and nets became a means of expressing infinity, leaving an indelible mark on contemporary art worldwide, died on August 14 of multiple organ failure at a hospital in Tokyo.
    — Tessa Solomon for ARTnews, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Michelle Malkin, a gambling researcher at East Carolina University, emphasized how anticipation and rapid repetition mirror gambling mechanics.
    — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of repetition
Noun
  • Cinema is a relatively young art form; the idea of owning a personal copy of a film is an even more recent invention.
    — Sophia Nguyen, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Organizers left a copy of the letter on the floor of the business’ entryway.
    — Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of copy
Noun
  • The funding bill passed by a 90-6 vote in the Senate, showing that lawmakers from both political parties want to avoid a repeat of the two historic shutdowns that occurred this past year.
    — Kevin Freking, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Oswego avoided sending the ball near the speedy Konkey on kickoffs to prevent a repeat of last week’s scoring on a return.
    — Jerry Birchfield, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of repeat
Noun
  • Today, replicas of various degrees of accuracy are readily available.
    — David Szondy August 30, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026
  • After a project is complete, actors must sign off and be paid the equivalent of an in-person performance if their replica is used.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of replica
Noun
  • The suspect was carrying an imitation Glock-style pellet gun.
    — Tania Azhang, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • In the cold open of the first-season finale, the characters go through their backlog of snail mail, rushing through a series of updates on the show’s lingering story lines in imitation of a clip-show episode.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of imitation

Browse Nearby Words

reduplicating
reduplication
reduplications
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Cite this Entry

“Reduplication.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reduplication. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on reduplication

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about reduplication

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