Time after time

Meaning

The idiom "time after time" means repeatedly or constantly, in a succession of events. It suggests that something happens over and over again in the same way.

Usage

• The manager praised her employees for their hard work and dedication, but she had to reprimand them time after time for tardiness.
• Despite his numerous attempts to quit smoking, John fell back into his old habits time after time.
• The customer service representative apologized profusely for the inconvenience caused, promising that it wouldn't happen time after time.
• When his friends asked him why he was always stressed out, Andrew replied that he had to deal with unexpected challenges time after time.
• As a child, Sarah loved to play dress-up and pretend she was a princess, but her parents reminded her that being a real princess meant dealing with hardships time after time.

Roots and History

The phrase "time after time" has been used in English since at least the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the Latin expression "tempore iterate," which means "to repeat in time." The idiom was first used in print in the 18th century, and it has become a common expression in contemporary language.

Synonyms in English

• Again and again
• Over and over
• Time after time again
• Multiple times
• Repeatedly

Synonyms in other languages

• French: à nouveau et à nouveau (literally, "again and again")
• Spanish: de nuevo y de nuevo (literally, "again and again")
• German: wieder und wieder (literally, "again and again")
• Italian: nuovamente e nuovamente (literally, "again and again")
• Portuguese: novamente e novamente (literally, "again and again")

Similar Idioms

• take it on the chin

• come full circle

• three cheers