Sometimes when you’re writing a rhyming poem, you may want to include a word or phrase that rhymes with itself, such as itsy-bitsy or super-duper. Also called “close rhymes,” these are what are known as “reduplicated” words or phrases. “Reduplication” is the term for words or phrases that are created by repeating sounds. Here is a list of rhyming reduplicated words and phrases that may come in handy to you sometime.
- abracadabra
- ants’ pants
- argle-bargle
- argy-bargy
- artsy-fartsy
- backpack
- backtrack
- bandstand
- bed head
- bee’s knees
- big rig
- bigwig
- blackjack
- blame game
- blues clues
- bolo
- boo-hoo
- boogie-woogie
- boot scoot
- bowwow
- boy toy
- brain drain
- bucket truck
- chick-flick
- chilly willy
- chip dip
- chock-a-block
- chop shop
- chug-a-lug
- chunky monkey
- claptrap
- clean green
- cookbook
- crop top
- cuddly-wuddly
- cutie patootie
- deadhead
- ding-a-ling
- ditch witch
- double bubble
- double trouble
- downtown
- drop crop
- drop-top
- dry fly
- easy cheese
- easy-peasey
- eency-weency
- even-steven
- fair and square
- fancy nancy
- fancy-schmancy
- fat cat
- fender-bender
- fiddle diddle
- fight or flight
- fit bit
- flyby
- fomo
- fright night
- fuddy-duddy
- fun in the sun
- fun run
- funny money
- fuzzy-wuzzy
- gal pal
- go low
- go pro
- go slow
- great state
- green bean
- ground round
- handstand
- handy-dandy
- hanky-panky
- harum-scarum
- heart smart
- heebie-jeebies
- helter skelter
- heyday
- hi-fi
- higgledy-piggledy
- high and dry
- high fly
- hinky dinky
- hippy-dippy
- hobby lobby
- hobnob
- hobo
- hocus-pocus
- hoddy-noddy
- hodgepodge
- hoi polloi
- hoity-toity
- hokey-pokey
- holy cannoli
- holy moly
- hong kong
- hoodoo
- hooley-dooley
- hot pot
- hotshot
- hotspot
- hotsy-totsy
- hubbub
- huffing and puffing
- hugger-mugger
- hulu
- humdrum
- humpty dumpty
- hurdy-gurdy
- hurly-burly
- hurry-scurry
- hustle and bustle
- itsy-bitsy
- itty-bitty
- jeepers creepers
- jelly belly
- jet set
- kowtow
- laffy taffy
- lardy-dardy
- lean and mean
- lite brite
- loosey-goosey
- lovey-dovey
- low and slow
- low blow
- low-flow
- mai tai
- maintain
- make or break
- mars bars
- mayday
- melee
- mellow yellow
- might makes right
- mojo
- mudblood
- mukluk
- mumbo-jumbo
- namby-pamby
- name game
- naysay
- neato burrito
- night-light
- night-night
- nighty-night
- nitty-gritty
- nitwit
- no-go
- no pain, no gain
- no-show
- nutter butter
- oingo boingo
- okey dokey
- one-ton
- out and about
- pall mall
- payday
- pedal to the metal
- pell-mell
- phony-baloney
- pickwick
- picnic
- pie in the sky
- piggly wiggly
- plain jane
- polo
- pooper scooper
- pop-top
- powwow
- prime-time
- pump and dump
- quick pick
- quiet riot
- quite a sight
- ragtag
- rat-tat
- rat-a-tat
- razzle-dazzle
- razzmatazz
- reese’s pieces
- righty tighty
- ring ding
- rinky-dink
- roly-poly
- rom-com
- rootin’ tootin’
- rough and tough
- rough stuff
- scat cat
- shake and bake
- shock jock
- shoe goo
- shout out
- silly-willy
- single mingle
- sky high
- slim jim
- sloppy copy
- slow-mo
- snack pack
- snail mail
- snow blow
- soho
- solo
- space case
- space race
- spruce goose
- steak ‘n shake
- steer clear
- stop and shop
- study buddy
- stun gun
- sump pump
- super-duper
- surf and turf
- tee-hee
- teen scene
- teenie-weenie
- teensy-weensy
- tepee
- tex-mex
- thin skin
- tighty-whitey
- tinky winky
- tohubohu
- top crop
- tramp stamp
- true blue
- turkey jerky
- tutti frutti
- TV
- undone
- use it or lose it
- voodoo
- wall ball
- walkie-talkie
- waylay
- wear and tear
- white flight
- white knight
- wi-fi
- willy-nilly
- wing-ding
- without a doubt
- wonton
- word nerd
- yolo
- yoo-hoo
Reduplicated Sentences
In addition to the above list of reduplicated words and phrases, there are also a number of common reduplicated idioms or catchphrases in English. Here are some of the most well known.
- After a while, crocodile
- Easy peasy, lemon squeezy
- No muss, no fuss
- No way, José
- Not I said the fly
- Not me said the flea
- Okie dokie, artichokey
- See you later, alligator
- Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey
- Winner, winner, chicken dinner
Non-Rhyming Reduplicated Words and Phrases
Some reduplicated words and phrases don’t quite rhyme because they contain different vowel sounds, such as ping-pong or zigzag. Technically, these are known as “ablaut reduplications.” Here is a list of reduplicated words and phrases that don’t rhyme.
- bric-a-brac
- chit-chat
- clip-clop
- criss-cross
- dig dug
- dilly-dally
- ding-dong
- fiddle faddle
- flimflam
- flip-flop
- hee-haw
- hip hop
- jibber-jabber
- jingle-jangle
- king kong
- kit kat
- kitty cat
- knickknack / nicknack
- mishmash
- ping-pong
- pitter-patter
- riffraff
- seesaw
- shilly-shally
- shipshape
- singsong
- skimble-scamble
- splish splash
- teeny tiny
- teetertotter
- tic-tac
- tick-tock
- ticky-tacky
- tip-top
- tittle-tattle
- wibble-wobble
- wiggle-waggle
- winky dink
- wishy-washy
- zigzag
Exact Reduplications
Some reduplicated words and phrases repeat the exact same word or syllable, either for emphasis, continuity, or to create a rhythmic effect. These are called “exact reduplications.” Unlike rhyming reduplications like itsy-bitsy or non-rhyming ones like ping-pong, exact reduplications simply double the word without alteration, as in “through and through” or “step by step.” Often, these phrases reinforce meaning by emphasizing repetition or progression. Here is a list of exact reduplications that you may find useful in your writing.
- again and again
- back to back
- better and better
- bigger and bigger
- bit by bit
- blah blah
- brick by brick
- cancan
- closer and closer
- dada
- day by day
- deeper and deeper
- dodo
- drop by drop
- end to end
- eye to eye
- face to face
- farther and farther
- faster and faster
- gogo
- ha ha
- hand in hand
- hee hee
- higher and higher
- ho ho
- hour by hour
- inch by inch
- juju
- layer by layer
- less and less
- line by line
- little by little
- louder and louder
- lower and lower
- mama
- mile after mile
- minute by minute
- moment by moment
- month by month
- more and more
- muumuu
- nana
- neck and neck
- no-no
- note for note
- over and over
- papa
- piece by piece
- piri-piri
- point by point
- second by second
- shot for shot
- shoulder to shoulder
- side by side
- slower and slower
- smaller and smaller
- step by step
- stronger and stronger
- through and through
- time after time
- toe to toe
- tutu
- turn by turn
- weaker and weaker
- week by week
- wonga-wonga
- word for word
- worse and worse
- yadda yadda
- year after year
Click here for other lists of rhyming words.
If you know of any reduplications I have missed on these lists, please let me know so I can add them.
