WordValeredundancy
duplicate components kept in case one fails
In more detail
1. (noun) the state of being no longer needed or wanted, especially because your job has been replaced by technology or eliminated due to business changes
2. (noun) something that is unnecessary because it repeats or duplicates something else
3. (noun) extra parts or systems kept as backup in case the main ones fail
Examples
- 1. After the factory closed, thousands of workers faced redundancy.
- 2. The report contained a lot of redundancy—the same information was repeated in three different sections.
- 3. The aircraft has redundancy in its engines so that it can still fly safely if one fails.
How to use redundancy
Redundancy primarily refers to the elimination of jobs due to business restructuring or technological replacement, common in British English; it also means unnecessary repetition or duplication of information or systems. In technical contexts, it describes backup systems designed to ensure reliability. The tone is neutral in technical use but can carry negative connotations in employment contexts.
Common phrases
- face redundancy
- made redundant
- redundancy payment
- job redundancy
- structural redundancy
- built-in redundancy
Synonyms
dismissal · layoff · surplus · duplication · excess
Opposites
necessity · essentiality
Word family
redundant (adjective) · redundantly (adverb)
A common mistake
Learners often confuse 'redundancy' (the state of being no longer needed or a backup system) with 'redundance' (a rare alternative form); also, many use 'redundancy' when they mean 'repetition' in non-employment contexts, though it can work in technical or formal writing.
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