tautological Definition
- 1needlessly repetitive, using different words to say the same thing
- 2involving or containing tautology
Using tautological: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "tautological" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The phrase 'free gift' is tautological because a gift is already free.
Example
Saying 'I saw it with my own eyes' is tautological because seeing something implies using one's own eyes.
Example
The statement 'All crows are birds' is tautological because the definition of a crow is that it is a bird.
tautological Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with tautological
an argument that uses circular reasoning, where the conclusion is already assumed in the premise
Example
The argument that 'God exists because the Bible says so, and the Bible is true because it is the word of God' is a tautological argument.
an expression that is always true, regardless of the truth value of its components
Example
The expression 'A or not A' is tautological because it is always true, regardless of whether A is true or false.
a statement that is true by definition, or that provides no new information
Example
The statement 'All bachelors are unmarried' is tautological because the definition of a bachelor is an unmarried man.
Origins of tautological
from Greek 'tautologia', meaning 'speaking the same thing'
Summary: tautological in Brief
The term 'tautological' [taw-tuh-loj-i-kuhl] describes a needlessly repetitive statement that uses different words to say the same thing. It can also refer to an argument that uses circular reasoning or an expression that is always true. Examples include 'free gift,' 'I saw it with my own eyes,' and 'All crows are birds.' Synonyms include 'repetitive' and 'redundant,' while antonyms include 'concise' and 'succinct.'
