What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
pleonasm
Example
She nodded her head in agreement. [pleonasm: 'her head']
Example
The wet rain soaked through my clothes. [pleonasm: 'wet']
tautology
Example
The reason why he left was because he was unhappy. [tautology: 'reason why']
Example
I saw it with my own eyes. [tautology: 'own']
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Tautology is a more common term than pleonasm in everyday language, as it is often used in academic and technical writing to describe a specific type of redundancy. However, both terms are relatively uncommon in everyday conversation.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between pleonasm and tautology?
Both pleonasm and tautology are formal terms that are typically used in academic or technical writing to describe errors in language usage. However, tautology is generally considered a more serious error than pleonasm and is therefore less likely to be used in casual conversation.
