Tautology means to repeat your meaning superfluously with unnecessary words, as in the following sentence:
In actual fact, there is a consensus of opinion, backed up by past history, that it is absolutely essential that we do not overexaggerate the positive benefits at this moment in time.
For instance, it is tautologous to say positive benefit as a benefit is always positive. Similarly, history already includes the meaning of past. Some examples of tautology are given below:
Tautology | Better |
absolutely essential | essential |
advance warning | warning |
at this moment in time | at present |
blue in colour GB or color US | blue |
a consensus of opinion | a consensus |
cool down | cool |
divide up | divide |
few in number | few |
future prospects | prospects |
heat up | heat |
in actual fact | in fact |
join together | join |
overexaggerate | exaggerate |
past history | history |
positive benefit | benefit |
previous or past experience | experience |
prewarn | warn |
revert back | revert |