What does "ditto" mean?
That which was stated before, the aforesaid, the above, the same, likewise.
Ditto
/ˈdɪtəʊ/ adv, intj, noun, verb, slang
adv, intj, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: That which was stated before, the aforesaid, the above, the same, likewise.
- Grammar: ditto is listed as adv, intj, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: accord, act like, actual thing, affect.
- Useful contrasts: alter, contradict, destroy.
- Usage evidence: You say "ditto", and that's not the same as "I love you".
How to use "ditto"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "ditto" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "ditto" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "ditto" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "ditto" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "ditto" is acting as adv, intj, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "accord" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "ditto", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 That which was stated before, the aforesaid, the above, the same, likewise.
"[...] they entered a dismal-looking parlour, whose brick-red walls and ditto curtains were scantily lighted by a single lamp, though it was of the last new patent—[…]"
- 2 a mark used to indicate the word above it should be repeated wordnet
- 3 A duplicate or copy of a document, particularly one created by a spirit duplicator. US, informal
"Please run off twenty-four dittos of this assignment, for my students."
- 4 A copy; an imitation. broadly
""You've got to look good to feel good," she announces, a ditto of television slogans."
- 5 The ditto mark, 〃; a symbol, represented by two apostrophes, inverted commas, or quotation marks (" "), indicating that the item preceding is to be repeated.
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A suit of clothes of the same color throughout. historical, in-plural
- 7 Synonym of worksheet (“a sheet of paper or computerized document”). uncommon
Verb
- 1 To repeat the aforesaid, the earlier action etc. transitive
"The Communists believed that Prakasam, the Prime Minister, never tried to check the bureaucracy but dittoed every action of the corrupt officials and police."
- 2 repeat an action or statement wordnet
- 3 To make a copy using a ditto machine. US
"But they were all purple, Dittoed—worn, torn, stained with coffee."
Adverb
- 1 As said before, likewise. not-comparable
"The inflationary effect of injecting $1 billion into the economy could be dire; ditto the impact on the tumbling bolivar of treating foreign reserves as if they were the government's piggy-bank."
Intj
- 1 Used as an expression of agreement with what another person has said, or to indicate that what they have said equally applies to the person being addressed.
"I'm really busy today! —Ditto!"
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"You say "ditto", and that's not the same as "I love you"."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "ditto"?
Common synonyms include: accord, act like, actual thing, affect, afresh, again.
How do you use "ditto" in a sentence?
You say "ditto", and that's not the same as "I love you".
How do you pronounce "ditto"?
Pronounced /ˈdɪtəʊ/.
Etymology
First attested in 1625. From regional Italian ditto, variant of detto, past participle of dire (“to say”), from Latin dīcō (“I say, I speak”). Not related to English dittography or Italian dito (“finger”). The specific meaning of making copies of paper comes from ditto machine, the brand name of a spirit duplicator.