redundant

redundant — 形容詞

1. not needed because something else already does the same job — for example, sayin

1.形容詞B2
釋義

多餘；重疊

因疊加或重複而無必要

not needed because something else already does the same job — for example, saying "free gift" is redundant since a gift is always free, or a computer button that does the same thing as another one is redundant.

例句

Christopher found the second security check redundant since passengers had already been screened at the entrance.

Christopher 認為第二次安檢是多餘的，因為乘客在入口處已經檢查過了。

redundant + since (reason clause)

Noor cut three redundant steps from the assembly line after watching workers repeat the same motions.

Noor 在觀察到作業員重複相同動作後，刪除了裝配線上的三道多餘步驟。

同義詞
  • unnecessary

    broader term; simply not needed for any reason

  • superfluous

    more formal; suggests an elegant or obvious excess

  • excessive

    implies an amount beyond what is reasonable, not necessarily due to duplication

反義詞

文法句型

redundant + because/since (reason clause)

be/become redundant

用法筆記

Often used to describe language or text where extra words repeat the same meaning. It is a common critique in editing and writing advice.

常見錯誤

❌The meeting was redundant because I did not want to attend.
✅The meeting was redundant because all the information had already been shared by email.
💡Redundant describes something that is unnecessary due to duplication or overlap, not simply because you dislike it.

2. no longer employed by an organization because your position or type of work is n

2.形容詞B2
釋義

資遣的；冗員

因職位不再需要而被解僱

no longer employed by an organization because your position or type of work is no longer needed — this happens when a company closes a department, automates tasks, or reduces its workforce, not because of anything you did wrong.

例句

Caio was made redundant when the warehouse automated its packing system.

Caio 因為倉庫引進自動化包裝系統而被資遣。

passive: be made redundant + reason (when clause)

The factory announced that thirty workers would become redundant by the end of the month.

工廠宣布有三十名員工將於月底前被資遣。

同義詞
  • laid off

    American English equivalent; similar meaning but less formal

  • dismissed

    more general; can include firing for cause, not just redundancy

反義詞

文法句型

be made redundant (most common)

become redundant

be declared redundant

用法筆記

This sense is primarily used in British and Commonwealth English. In American English, the equivalent terms are 'laid off' or 'let go.' Note that the passive construction 'was made redundant' is the standard form; saying 'I became redundant' is less common and sounds slightly unnatural to native speakers.

常見錯誤

❌I was made redundant because I arrived late too often.
✅I was made redundant when the company moved its support team overseas.
💡Being made redundant is about the job disappearing, not about your performance or behaviour.
❌She made redundant from her job.
✅She was made redundant from her job.
💡The verb 'make' in this sense requires the passive voice; it is not an active transitive construction.

3. containing more words than are needed to express an idea, often by restating the

3.形容詞C1
釋義

重複；冗贅

用過多詞語反覆表達相同意思

containing more words than are needed to express an idea, often by restating the same meaning in a slightly different form — for example, writing "the reason is because" is redundant because "reason" already implies a cause.

例句

The essay was marked down for being redundant, with the same argument repeated in three separate sections.

這篇作文因為太過冗贅而被扣分，同樣的論點在三個不同段落中重複出現。

redundant writing / repetitive structure in academic context

Élise advised her students to avoid redundant phrases such as 'end result' in their academic writing.

Élise 建議學生在學術寫作中避免使用「end result」這類冗贅的片語。

redundant phrase + specific example (end result)

同義詞
  • repetitive

    more general; can describe any repeated action or pattern, not just words

  • verbose

    using too many words, though not necessarily repeating the same idea

  • wordy

    informal; containing more words than needed

反義詞
  • concise

    giving a lot of information clearly in a few words

  • succinct

    clearly expressed in few words

文法句型

redundant + noun (prose/writing/language)

be/become redundant in the sense of being repetitive

用法筆記

This sense overlaps with sense 1 (UNNECESSARY EXTRA) but is narrower: it focuses specifically on language or expression that repeats the same idea, rather than any unnecessary item. Distinguish by context — if the criticism is about repetition of ideas rather than surplus items, this sense applies.

常見錯誤

❌His speech was redundant because it was too long.
✅His speech was redundant because he kept restating the same point.
💡Redundant in this sense means repetitious, not merely lengthy.