list of redundant expressions

Introduction

This is a list of common redundant expressions, phrases which implicitly repeat an idea or use words which add nothing to the meaning, and sentences in which they might be used, organized alphabetically by phrase.

NOTE: Many of these expressions are redundant only when certain assumptions are made, and if those assumptions are false for the situation being described, then the expressions are not redundant. The presence of an example does not deem it "incorrect" or necessarily preclude its use in speech or writing. Some are integral to the language or some of its idioms, and each must be assessed in context—linguistic and social—by the standards one applies to that context. (See pleonasm.)

The redundant portion is indicated by small letters, though sometimes the other could be deleted instead. For example, "at 2 a.m. in the morning" could read "at 2 a.m.," or "at two in the morning."

Common redundancies

These phrases are likely common to most forms of English:

____ separate: The vandal slashed 34 separate tires.
12 midnight: Be home by 12 midnight.
12 noon: Let's have lunch at 12 noon sharp.
a period of _____ : The disease incubates for a period of ten days.
a.m. in the morning: We returned at 2 a.m. in the morning.
added bonus: As an added bonus, we'll include a potato peeler.
absolute guarantee: I give you my absolute guarantee.
absolutely essential: Vitamins are absolutely essential to health.
absolutely sure: There's no way to be absolutely sure.
actual experience: Have you had actual experience at welding?
add an additional: Add an additional $500 and it's yours.
advance planning: With careful advance planning, all will go well.
advance reservations: For holiday seasons, advance reservations are a must.
advance warning: We had no advance warning of the eruption.
all meet together: Let's all meet together this day every year.
alongside of: He was buried alongside of his dog.
already existed: They discovered that such an invention already existed.
and moreover: I know nothing and moreover I don't want to know.
are currently: They are currently playing off-Broadway.
as for example: Colors can have exotic names, as for example "seafoam."
as to whether: I'm inquiring as to whether the bus has arrived.
as yet: The bus has not arrived as yet.
ask a question: If you need information, don't hesitate to ask a question.
at a later date: That will happen at a later date.
at about: I get up at about noon.
at the present time: At the present time we have no openings.
awkward predicament: Being naked in public is usually an awkward predicament.
baby boy was born: Our baby boy was born at 2 a.m.
bald-headed: Patrick Stewart takes being bald-headed in stride.
bare naked: The old man ran bare naked through the streets.
basic fundamentals: You must learn the basic fundamentals of welding.
blend together: Their voices blend together in lovely harmony.
bolt of lightning: He was hit by a bolt of lightning.
bouquet of flowers: To apologize, he bought her a bouquet of flowers.
brief moment: For a brief moment, you looked like your mother.
burn down: Are you trying to burn down the house?
burn up: At this rate, we'll burn up the fuel in a month.
but however: I really want to, but I can't however.
but nevertheless: I shouldn't have, but nevertheless I did.
cancel out: A vote for Tweedle Dee will cancel out a vote for Tweedle Dum.
chief protagonist: Pooh is the chief protagonist of the stories.
climb up: We watched the bear climb up the tree.
close proximity: The torpedo explodes when in close proximity to the hull.
close scrutiny: Their finances won't stand close scrutiny.
collaborate together: I decided to collaborate together on that book.
combine together: The ingredients combine together to form gunpowder.
common bond: They formed a common bond against the British.
commute back and forth: Living in town, I avoid commuting back and forth.
complete monopoly: With that merger, they had a complete monopoly.
completely destroyed: The town hall was completely destroyed.
completely filled: Bt ten, the house was completely filled.
consensus of opinion: We finally arrived at a consensus of opinion.
continue on: I hope to continue on in the family business.
continue to remain: We continue to remain optimistic.
cost the sum of: The repairs cost the sum of $1100.
currently being: You're currently being considered for the position.
currently undergoing: The golf course is currently undergoing renovation.
dates back: That pot dates back to the time of Columbus.
definite decision: By Friday, I had made a definite decision.
descend down: We watched them descend down into the canyon.
different kinds: There were twelve different kinds of ice cream.
difficult dilemma: We're faced with a difficult dilemma.
direct confrontation: We tried to avoid direct confrontation.
distance of _______: The fire closed to a distance of fifty feet.
drop down: Drop down and give me fifty, soldier!
during the course of: He didn't smile during the course of the trial.
dwindled down: By then, the fire had dwindled down to nothing.
dynamic range: The camera could not record the dynamic range of illumination.
each and every: God bless each and every one of you.
earlier in time: The Beatles were popular earlier in time than the Rolling Stones.
either and/or both: You may be charged with either and/or both crimes.
empty space: There's nothing but empty space between those ears.
end result: The end result was inflation.
enter into: Bacteria can enter into a wound.
equal to one another: Before the law, we are equal to one another.
eradicate completely: We won't rest until we eradicate them completely.
established fact: Bigfoot is an established fact.
estimated at about: Casualties are estimated at about 1000.
every now and then: Every now and then the faucent drips.
exact opposites: They are twins, but exact opposites.
exactly right: That's exactly the right advice.
exact same: She has the exact same dress.
exactly the same: No two fingerprints are exactly the same.
face up to: You should face up to the fact.
false pretenses: He's here under false pretenses.
feel inside: Nobody knows how I feel inside.
fellow classmates: I'd enjoy a reunion with my fellow classmates.
few in number: They were few in number, but mighty.
filled to capacity: The stadium was filled to capacity.
finally ended: I was glad when the play finally ended.
first began: We was alive when the century first began.
first of all: First of all, there are no cranberries.
first time ever: We have a pig in space for the first time ever.
focus in: I'm trying to focus in on that sound.
follow after: He decided to follow after her to California.
foreign imports: Manufacturers are challenged by foreign imports.
forever and ever: It's you and me, forever and ever.
free gift: Receive a free gift with every purchase.
free pass: I won a free pass to the movies.
future plans: We discussed our future plans long into the night.
gather together: The family would gather together every year.
general conclusion: My general conclusion is that men are pigs.
general custom: It's the general custom in this familty to wash our hands.
general public: We don't sell to the general public.
glowing ember: We watched until the last glowing ember faded.
golden wedding anniversary: They celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.
grand total: With you, we have a grand total of fifty here.
had done previously: We tore down everything we had done previously.
hard facts: The detective was looking for the hard facts.
heat up: She decided to heat up water for coffee.
honest truth: That's the honest truth of the matter.
hostile foe: Here was a hostile foe in the making..
hot water heater: We had to install a new hot water heater.
I myself: I myself was there.
I personally: I personally favor mashed potatoes.
indicted on a charge: He was indicted on a charge of manslaughter.
inner core: Who are you, in your inner core?
inner feelings: You must get in tough with your inner feelings.
integral part: He is an integral part of our success.
interconnected: A society has millions of people, all interconnected.
interweaved: Fabric consists of many interweaved threads.
introduced a new: We introduced a new product to the line.
introduced for the first time: We were introduced for the first time a week ago.
invited guests: But you're not one of the invited guests.
irregardless: She loved him irregardless.
is currently: He is currently employed at Haversham and Smith.
join together: We'll join these boards together with glue.
just exactly: I have just exactly the right amount of money.
just recently: We met just recently.
kneel down: The king had all kneel down before him.
last of all: Last of all, we have no flour.
lift up: She would lift up her dress to avoid the mud.
linger on: The scent of her perfume would linger on.
local residents: He was among the local residents of Hogwaller.
look back in retrospect: Looking back in retrospect, I see why.
lose out on: I don't want to lose out on my chance to go.
major breakthrough: It was a major breakthrough in genetic research.
mass media: The mass media thrive on scandal.
may possibly: That may possibly be the greatest blunder of all.
mental telepathy: Do cats really use mental telepathy?
merged together: Acme and Fuddco would prosper if merged together.
meshed together: The fabric is gold and silk meshed together.
midway between: On the highway from Heaven to Hell, Life is about midway between.
might possibly: We might possibly attend the party.
mix together: Mix the ingredients together until the batter is smooth.
mutual cooperation: Competition can be less beneficial than mutual cooperation.
my personal opinion: In my personal opinion, caviar tastes horrible.
native habitat: This plant is found throughout the animal's native habitat.
natural instinct: Approaching humans is not naturally instinctive behavior for bears.
never at any time: I was never at any time with that woman.
never before: No, we've never met before.
new beginning: 1776 marked a new beginning.
new bride: He went to the Catskills with his new bride.
new construction: We slowed for the new highway construction.
new record: He set a new record in the pole vault.
new recruit: Bloody was a new recruit for the biker gang.
no trespassing allowed: The sign plainly says: No trespassing allowed.
none at all: There's no money left, none at all.
now pending: The case is now pending before the Fifth Circuit Court.
null and void: Breaking the seal will null and void the warranty.
off of: Please keep the cat off of the couch.
officiated at the ceremony: Mayor Perkins officiated at the ceremony.
old adage: There is an old adage for every occasion.
old clich: He used every old clich in the book.
old pioneer: That was back in the old pioneer days, before statehood.
old proverb: That reminds me of an old proverb.
one and the same: Santa and Saint Nick are one and the same person.
originally created: Man was originally created in God's image, without tattoos.
over again: He said it over and over again.
over and done with: Let's get it over and done with.
over exaggerate: He tends to over exaggerate his accomplishments.
over with: Can't we just get this over with?
pair of twins: He's the proud father of a pair of twins.
passing fad: Computers are just a passing fad.
past experience: We know from past experience that weakness breeds contempt.
past history: Without knowing past history, we are doomed to repeat our mistakes.
past memories: I have no past memories of that event.
past records: We'll have to check our past records to confirm that.
penetrate into: We decided to penetrate into enemy territory.
perfect ideal: Peewee Herman is not the perfect ideal of manhood.
period of time: Horses were absent throughout that period of time.
permeate throughout: Garlic in your shoe will permeate throughout your body.
personal belongings: Place your personal belongings on the table.
personal charm: You'll need more than personal charm to succeed.
personal friendship: I truly value our personal friendship.
personal opinion: In my personal opinion, canaries are quite tasty.
pitch black: It was pitch black in the belly of the fish.
pizza pie: The moon hit my eye, like a big pizza pie.
plan ahead: Failure to plan ahead is risky.
postponed until later:
preplan: If you preplan your funeral, it won't come as such a surprise.
prerecorded: The following is a prerecorded program.
present incumbent: The present incumbent will likely be reelected.
prior history: He has a prior history of burglary arrests.
probed into: The committee probed into the causes of the crash.
proceed ahead: I vote that we proceed ahead with our plans.
protest against: The group assembled to protest against high prices.
protrude out: Why do your eyes protrude out like that?
random chance: Winning at roulette is a matter of random chance.
rate of speed: At that rate of speed, they'll lose the regatta.
recur again: Her fever would recur again at regular intervals.
reflect back: Perhaps you should reflect back on why you joined the army.
repeat again: I wouldn't care to repeat that again.
reply back: I'll expect your reply back with a day.
revert back: Any moment he'll revert back to his old ways.
rose to his feet: The assembly watched as he rose to his feet.
rough estimate: I only need a rough estimate of the costs.
rough rule of thumb: Five minutes per pound is a rough rule of thumb.
rustic country: She loved her rustic country kitchen.
safe haven: They ran for the forest, searching for a safe haven.
same identical: The wore the same identical dress.
security guard: Leave or I'll call the security guard.
separate entities: You're married, but are still separate entities.
share together: I'm glad we could share this time together.
skipped over: The disease skipped over a generation.
so as to: Mother called him Junior, so as to avoid confusion when addressing Father.
soaked to the skin: Tom and Huck were soaked to the skin.
some time to come: We'll eat beans for some time to come.
specific example: Can you offer me a(n) specific example of that?
specific details: We will supply specific details by mail.
spell out in detail: I was guilty, and decided to spell it out in detail.
stacked together: There they were, stacked together like cordwood.
start out: Well, I didn't start out as a hoodlum.
started off with: The Yanks started off with Berra.
still persists: Even after setbacks, she still persists.
still remains: Year later, a large scar still remains.
subject matter: That subject matter isn't fit for children.
suddenly collapsed: The exhausted runner suddenly collapsed.
suddenly exploded: We were heating the can of beans when it suddenly exploded.
sufficient enough: That should be sufficient enough reason for you to quit.
sum total: Wikipedia might hold the sum total of all knowledge someday.
summer season: During the cold I look forward to the summer season.
swoop down: The wind whistles in their wings when they swoop down.
sworn affidavits: I have three sworn affidavits saying you did.
talking out loud: We'll have no talking out loud in this library.
temporary reprieve: The storm was a temporary reprieve from the heat.
therapeutic treatment: My swelled knee required special therapeutic treatment.
thorough investigation: You will do a(n) thorough investigation, won't you?
time clock: Over there is the time clock where we punch out.
time period: The book doesn't cover that time period.
together at the same time: Imagine, all the Beagle Boys together at the same time.
true facts: You swear those are the true facts?
tuna fish: I had a tuna fish sandwich.
two different: She and I had two different views on the subject.
undeniable truth: 1 + 1 = 2 is an undeniable truth.
undergraduate student: The undergraduate student did most of the work.
underground subway: New York has an extensive underground subway.
unexpected surprise: That was an unexpected surprise.
unintentional mistake: That mistake was entirely unintentional.
usual custom: Eggnog on Christmas is our usual custom.
whether or not: I wonder whether or not you're coming.
written down: I have written down the instructions.
young foal: There she is, with her young foal.
young lad: A young lad is expert at mischief.