reiterated; reiterating

transitive verb

: to state or do over again or repeatedly sometimes with wearying effect
reiteratively adverb

Did you know?

Can you guess the meaning of iterate, a less common relative of reiterate? It must mean simply "to state or do," right? Nope. Actually, iterate also means "to state or do again." It's no surprise, then, that some usage commentators have insisted that reiterate must always mean "to say or do again AND AGAIN." No such nice distinction exists in actual usage, however. Both reiterate and iterate can convey the idea of a single repetition or of many repetitions. Reiterate is the older of the two words—it first appeared in the 15th century, whereas iterate turned up in the 16th century. Both stem from the Latin verb iterare, which is itself from iterum ("again"), but reiterate took an extra step, through Latin reiterare ("to repeat").

Examples of reiterate in a Sentence

He iterates and reiterates that his lab likewise provided the French with many biological tools and samples, as well as significant technical guidance … Natalie Angier, New York Times Book Review, 24 Mar. 1991
Easy victories bring little satisfaction; repeated failures encourage reiterated effort, to the moment of ultimate gratification or ultimate resignation. Peter Gay, Style in History, 1974
Judge Douglas has again, for, I believe, the fifth time, if not the seventh, in my presence, reiterated his charge of a conspiracy or combination between the National Democrats and Republicans. Abraham Lincoln, debate versus Stephen A. Douglas, 7 Oct. 1858
"And are you glad to see me?" asked she, reiterating her former question, and pleased to detect the faint dawn of a smile. Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights, 1847
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Cheeks reiterated that ending The Late Show With Stephen Colbert was a purely financial decision with timing driven by the limitations of the schedule. Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2025 The brand reiterated that KClub Rewards and Kirkland's Home gift cards will be accepted at Bed Bath & Beyond Home, and old Bed Bath & Beyond coupons are redeemable at Bed Bath & Beyond Home stores. Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2025 Italian President Sergio Mattarella reiterated the project would still be subject to anti-mafia legislation that applies to all large-scale infrastructure projects, according to AP. Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2025 On the call, Murdoch reiterated that Fox One is targeting cord-nevers, trying to reach consumers that have not subscribed to pay-TV, and are unlikely to do so. Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for reiterate

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin reiteratus, past participle of reiterare to repeat, from re- + iterare to iterate

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of reiterate was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Reiterate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reiterate. Accessed 14 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

reiterate

verb
reiterated; reiterating
: to say or do over again or repeatedly
reiteratively adverb
reiterativeness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on reiterate

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