repeat

/ɹɪˈpiːt/

//ɹɪˈpiːt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"repeat" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“repeat” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,080 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#3,080
frequency rank, English
6
letters
8
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To do or say again (and again).

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

repeat vs reset
67% similar
repeat vs repel
67% similar
repeat vs report
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for repeat
PropertyValue
Headwordrepeat
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɹɪˈpiːt/
Letters6
Frequency rank#3,080
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “repeat” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). repeat lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for repeat is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɹɪˈpiːt/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,080 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 9 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for repeat, with forms such as "erpeat", "reepat", and "repaet". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "reset", "repel", "report", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English repeten, from Old French repeter, from Latin repetō, repetere, from the prefix re- (“again”) + peto (“attack, beseech”). The correct English form is repeat, spelled R-E-P-E-A-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To do or say again (and again).
  2. 2
    To refill (a prescription).
  3. 3
    To happen again; recur.
  4. 4
    To echo the words of (a person).
  5. 5
    To strike the hours, as a watch does.
  6. 6
    To make trial of again; to undergo or encounter again.
  7. 7
    To repay or refund (an excess received).
  8. 8
    To call in a previous artillery fire mission with the same ammunition and method either on the coordinates or adjusted either because destruction of the target was insufficient or missed.
  9. 9
    To commit fraud in an election by voting more than once for the same candidate.

Etymology

From Middle English repeten, from Old French repeter, from Latin repetō, repetere, from the prefix re- (“again”) + peto (“attack, beseech”).

Synonyms

redoreiteraterepriserework see also Thesaurus:reiteratereoccurrecrudescerecourserecurrehappenrepeat

This word in other languages

repetir(Español)répéter(Français)wiederholen(Deutsch)repetir(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: erpeat,reepat,repaet,repeatt,repeta,reppeat,rpeeat,rrepeat

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of repeat - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

erpeat2reepat2repaet2repeatt1repeta2reppeat1rpeeat2rrepeat1
Edit distance from "repeat"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "repeat"?
"repeat" is spelled R-E-P-E-A-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈpiːt/.
What does "repeat" mean?
As a verb, "repeat" means: To do or say again (and again).
What words are commonly confused with "repeat"?
"repeat" is commonly confused with "reset", "repel", "report". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "repeat"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "repeat" is /ɹɪˈpiːt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "repeat"?
From Middle English repeten, from Old French repeter, from Latin repetō, repetere, from the prefix re- (“again”) + peto (“attack, beseech”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “repeat”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is R-E-P-E-A-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɹɪˈpiːt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “reset” - see the side-by-side comparison. repeat vs reset
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list