tautological
Circular in reasoning
Tautological describes something that repeats itself unnecessarily, defining or proving a thing in terms of itself.
A tautological statement like a rule is a rule or it is what it is offers no new information.
In logic, a tautology is true by definition rather than by evidence: all bachelors are unmarried.
The criticism usually targets circular reasoning or redundant phrasing: The reason is because... is tautological.
Exceeding what's needed
- repetitiveMarked by recurrence
- repetitiousCharacterized by needless recurrence
- reiterativeMarked by repetition
- pleonasticUnnecessarily wordy in expression
duplicative · tautologous · wordy · verbose · prolix · periphrastic · long-winded · overwrought
Not essential or required
- needlessNot required
- superfluousExceeding what suffices
- excessiveSurpassing reasonable bounds
- gratuitousGiven without necessity
otiose · supererogatory · dispensable · unneeded · pointless · wasteful · surplus · extraneous
Requiring no demonstration
- axiomaticAccepted without question
- truisticObviously, undeniably so
- vacuousEmpty of content
- emptyHolding nothing inside
uninformative · meaningless · obvious · undeniable · incontrovertible
Alluding to itself
- question-beggingAssuming what's to be proved
- regressRevert to earlier state
- presuppositionImplicit prior assumption
redundant
Exceeding what's needed
- repetitiveMarked by recurrence
- repetitiousCharacterized by needless recurrence
- reiterativeMarked by repetition
pleonastic · duplicative · tautologous · wordy · verbose · prolix · periphrastic · long-winded · overwrought
unnecessary
Not essential or required
- needlessNot required
- superfluousExceeding what suffices
- excessiveSurpassing reasonable bounds
gratuitous · otiose · supererogatory · dispensable · unneeded · pointless · wasteful · surplus · extraneous · nonessential
self-evident
Requiring no demonstration
empty · uninformative · meaningless · obvious · undeniable · incontrovertible
self-referential
Alluding to itself
- question-beggingAssuming what's to be proved
- regressRevert to earlier state
- presuppositionImplicit prior assumption
tautologicalcontingent
Conditional or representative group
informative · substantive · synthetic · empirical · falsifiable
tautologicalconcise
Briefly and clearly stated
succinct · terse · compact · pithy · economical
tautologicalmeaningful
Having purpose or significance
substantive · significant · consequential · illuminating · revelatory