Redundancy — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ri-ˈdən-dən(t)-sē/ re·dun·dan·cy

Meaning & Definition of Redundancy

Redundancy (noun)

  1. the quality or state of being redundant, superfluity
  2. the use of redundant components; also, such components
  3. dismissal from a job especially by layoff

Redundancy (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the use of too many words to express an idea

    "even though the phrase free gift is a redundancy, many retailers still use it to assure customers that an item is really free"

    similar: circumlocution, diffuseness, diffusion, garrulity, garrulousness, logorrhea, long-windedness, periphrasis, prolixity, verbalism, verbiage, verboseness, verbosity, windiness, wordage, wordiness
    related: circuitousness, circularity, digressiveness, pleonasm, tautology, reiteration, repetition, repetitiousness, repetitiveness, embellishment, embroidering, exaggeration, hyperbole, overstatement
    near: brevity, briefness, compactness, conciseness, concision, crispness, pithiness, succinctness, terseness

  2. the state or an instance of going beyond what is usual, proper, or needed

    "there's a redundancy of high-priced restaurants in the area"

    similar: bellyful, excess, fat, overabundance, overage, overflow, overkill, overmuch, overplus, oversupply, plethora, plus, superabundance, superfluity, surfeit, surplus, surplusage
    related: abundance, bounty, plentitude, plenty, profusion, sufficiency, overproduction, overstock
    opposite: deficiency, deficit, insufficiency, undersupply
    near: dearth, lack, scarcity, want

  3. the termination of the employment of an employee or a work force often temporarily

    "several dozen employees at the London office were lost to redundancy"

    similar: ax, discharge, dismissal, furlough, layoff
    related: pink slip, bird (chiefly British), boot, bum's rush, downsizing, firing, heave-ho, sack, closing, shutdown, shakeout, shake-up
    near: callback, recall, reemployment, rehire, rehiring

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Redundancy

The most common words with a similar meaning to Redundancy:

circumlocution, diffuseness, diffusion, garrulity, garrulousness, logorrhea, long-windedness, periphrasis, prolixity, verbalism, verbiage, verboseness, verbosity, windiness, wordage, wordiness, bellyful, excess, fat, overabundance, overage, overflow, overkill, overmuch, overplus, oversupply, plethora, plus, superabundance, superfluity, surfeit, surplus, surplusage, ax, discharge, dismissal, furlough, layoff

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Redundancy

Words with the opposite meaning of Redundancy:

deficiency, deficit, insufficiency, undersupply

Related Words for Redundancy

circuitousness, circularity, digressiveness, pleonasm, tautology, reiteration, repetition, repetitiousness, repetitiveness, embellishment, embroidering, exaggeration, hyperbole, overstatement, abundance, bounty, plentitude, plenty, profusion, sufficiency, overproduction, overstock, pink slip, bird, boot, bum's rush, downsizing, firing, heave-ho, sack

Near Antonyms of Redundancy

brevity, briefness, compactness, conciseness, concision, crispness, pithiness, succinctness, terseness, dearth, lack, scarcity, want, callback, recall, reemployment, rehire, rehiring

Word Forms of Redundancy

Inflections: redundancies

Origin & Etymology of Redundancy

First known use: 1601

Frequently Asked Questions about Redundancy

What does "Redundancy" mean?

"Redundancy" means the quality or state of being redundant, superfluity. As a noun, it is defined as: the quality or state of being redundant, superfluity. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Redundancy"?

Other words for "Redundancy" include circumlocution, diffuseness, diffusion, garrulity, garrulousness, logorrhea, long-windedness and periphrasis. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Redundancy" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Redundancy"?

There are 72 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Redundancy". Common alternatives include circumlocution, diffuseness, diffusion, garrulity, garrulousness, logorrhea, long-windedness, periphrasis, prolixity and verbalism.

What is the opposite of "Redundancy"?

Antonyms of "Redundancy" include deficiency, deficit, insufficiency and undersupply. Near antonyms include brevity, briefness, compactness and conciseness.

How do you use "Redundancy" in a sentence?

Examples of "Redundancy" in a sentence: "even though the phrase free gift is a redundancy, many retailers still use it to assure customers that an item is really free"; "there's a redundancy of high-priced restaurants in the area"; "several dozen employees at the London office were lost to redundancy".

Is "Redundancy" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Redundancy" is a noun.

How do you pronounce "Redundancy"?

"Redundancy" is pronounced /ri-ˈdən-dən(t)-sē/ and divided into syllables as re·dun·dan·cy.

What is the origin of the word "Redundancy"?

First known use: 1601.