What does "redundancy" mean?
The state of being redundant.
Redundancy
/ɹɪˈdʌnd(ə)nsi/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The state of being redundant.
- Grammar: redundancy is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: abundance, amplitude, avalanche, backup.
- Useful contrasts: brevity, conciseness, employment.
- Usage evidence: RAID-1 achieves redundancy by mirroring data on several disks.
How to use "redundancy"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "redundancy" 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 "redundancy" 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 "redundancy" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "redundancy" 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 "redundancy" is acting as noun 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 "abundance" 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 "redundancy", 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 The state of being redundant. countable, uncountable
- 2 repetition of an act needlessly wordnet
- 3 A superfluity; something redundant or excessive; a needless repetition in language. countable, uncountable
"[…] the fulneſs of the creature is limited, it ariſeth juſt to ſuch a degree and proportion, but Gods fulneſs is infinite, as it hath its Reſplendency, ſo its Redundancy, it knows neither bounds nor bottom."
- 4 the attribute of being superfluous and unneeded wordnet
- 5 A duplication of components or circuits to provide survival of the total system in case of failure of single components. countable, uncountable
"2006, Lauren Bean, Richard E. Friedman, Chapter 5: School Safety in the Twenty First Century: Adapting to New Security Challenges Post-9/11, James J. F. Forest (editor), Homeland Security: Protecting America′s Targets, Volume 2: Public Spaces and Social Institutions, page 108, Staff redundancy is needed in the event that a supervisor and key unit supervisors are not present or unable to act in an emergency."
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 (electronics) a system design that duplicates components to provide alternatives in case one component fails wordnet
- 7 Duplication of parts of a message to guard against transmission errors. countable, uncountable
- 8 repetition of messages to reduce the probability of errors in transmission wordnet
- 9 The state of being unemployed because one's job is no longer necessary; the dismissal of such an employee; a layoff. Australia, New-Zealand, UK, countable, uncountable
"1981, New Zealand House of Representatives. Parliamentary Debates, Volume 442, page 4212, Has he received any representation from Air New Zealand management about redundancy proposals for Air New Zealand staff; and, if so, do these proposals include redundancy agreements?"
- 10 surplusage inserted in a pleading which may be rejected by the court without impairing the validity of what remains. countable, uncountable
Example
"RAID-1 achieves redundancy by mirroring data on several disks."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "redundancy"?
Common synonyms include: abundance, amplitude, avalanche, backup, backup strategy, battology.
How do you use "redundancy" in a sentence?
RAID-1 achieves redundancy by mirroring data on several disks.
How do you pronounce "redundancy"?
Pronounced /ɹɪˈdʌnd(ə)nsi/.
Etymology
From redundant + -cy.