How to use "repeatedly"

What Does "repeatedly" Mean?

• What it expresses: Frequency and recurrence. It indicates that an action or event occurs many times or is performed over and over again.
• What part of the sentence it typically modifies: It primarily modifies verbs (actions), but it can also modify participles or the entire clause to emphasize the persistent nature of a situation.
• Register: Neutral to formal. While common in speech, it is a staple of journalism, legal writing, and academic analysis.

How to Use It

• Typical sentence positions: It is most natural in the mid-position (between the subject and the main verb, or after the first auxiliary verb). However, it can also appear in the final position for emphasis.
• What it modifies: It adds a sense of persistence or habit to a verb. For example, "He asked" is a simple fact; "He repeatedly asked" suggests a pattern of behavior or perhaps even frustration.
• Grammatical flexibility: It can be fronted (placed at the beginning) for dramatic rhetorical effect, used in negations (though less common), and used in questions to inquire about frequency.
• What sounds unnatural: Placing it between a verb and its direct object can often disrupt the flow of the sentence (e.g., "He said repeatedly the words" is less natural than "He repeatedly said the words").

Real-World Examples

These examples are sourced from repeatedly on Ludwig.guru.

"Brown repeatedly said he did not recall specifics about altering the cabinet minute or who instructed him to change it." — theguardian.com

"Since 2011, United has piled up a mountain of consumer complaints (according to one report, only Spirit has more per passenger) and has repeatedly tallied some of the worst quality rankings in the nation, trailing even discount airlines like Frontier and AirTran." — economist.com

"Targaryen manages to repeatedly outmanoeuvre and outwit scheming men who dominate the world of Game of Thrones and dismiss the idea that a woman might have the wherewithal to establish an empire." — theguardian.com

"In reality, grasping that your parents are flawed is unlikely to have any long-term adverse effects (and it is a realisation likely to occur repeatedly throughout one's life)." — theguardian.com

"I have repeatedly contacted them showing them proof the order still says pending but again, that is ignored." — theguardian.com

Examples sourced from https://ludwig.guru/s/repeatedly

Similar Phrases and Alternatives

Phrase	Context
again and again	More idiomatic and emphatic; common in storytelling and casual speech.
frequently	Neutral; focuses on the rate of occurrence rather than the repetitive nature.
constantly	Stronger; implies the action happens without pause or very often.
time after time	Poetic or rhetorical; emphasizes the passage of time between repetitions.
recurrently	Formal/Technical; often used in medical or scientific contexts to describe patterns.
over and over	Informal; emphasizes the monotony or persistence of the action.

Common Mistakes

• Redundancy: Learners often redundantly pair it with other frequency markers, such as saying 'again and again repeatedly'. Choose one or the other to maintain clarity.
• Word Order: Placing the adverb too far from the verb it modifies can lead to ambiguity regarding which action is being repeated.
• Register Mismatch: Using 'repeatedly' in extremely casual texting might feel overly stiff compared to 'over and over'.

Quick-Reference Summary

Expression	Function	Register	Typical Position
repeatedly	Expresses recurrence/frequency	Neutral to Formal	Mid-position (before verb)

FAQs

Where should I place repeatedly in a sentence for the best flow?

The most natural placement for repeatedly is the mid-position, specifically before the main verb or after the first auxiliary verb. While it can appear at the end of a clause for emphasis, placing it before the action usually ensures the clearest connection for the reader.

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How does repeatedly differ from the adverb frequently?

While both words deal with occurrence, repeatedly emphasizes the act of doing the exact same thing over and over, often suggesting persistence. In contrast, frequently simply describes a high rate of occurrence without necessarily highlighting the repetitive nature of the specific action.

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Can I use repeatedly alongside phrases like again and again?

No, you should avoid using repeatedly with other frequency markers like "again and again" because it creates a tautology, or redundant phrasing. To write clearly, select either the adverb or the idiomatic phrase to convey the intended meaning without repetition.