Find repetitive words
AI highlights overused words so you can add variety and polish to your nonprofit writing.
Find repetitive words
River's Repetitive Word Finder identifies overused words in your nonprofit writing. Upload your document and the AI highlights words that appear too frequently, making your writing feel repetitive or monotonous. You get clear identification of words to vary for more polished, engaging prose.
Unlike basic word counts, this tool considers context and flags words that genuinely feel overused to readers. The AI identifies repetitive nouns, verbs, adjectives, and phrases that appear too close together or too frequently overall. Word variety keeps readers engaged. Repetition bores them. You get focused feedback on improving word choice without changing your message.
This tool is perfect for anyone writing nonprofit materials including appeals, reports, website copy, and grants. Use it before finalizing documents to catch repetitive language you stopped noticing. It works best when you need a fresh perspective on word usage. Varied vocabulary makes writing feel more professional and keeps readers engaged through the entire document.
Why Word Variety Matters
Word variety keeps writing fresh and maintains reader attention. When the same word appears repeatedly in close proximity, readers notice and writing feels amateurish. Example: 'Our program provides services to families. These services help families overcome challenges. Families appreciate these services.' The word 'services' and 'families' repeat excessively. Better: 'Our program supports families facing challenges. Participants appreciate the help they receive.' Synonyms and varied sentence structure eliminate repetition.
Common repetitive words in nonprofit writing include: impact (try: effect, influence, change, difference), provide (try: offer, give, deliver, supply), help (try: support, assist, aid, enable), community (try: neighborhood, residents, area, region), program (try: initiative, service, offering, project). Using the same power word repeatedly weakens its impact. 'We impact communities' loses meaning when 'impact' appears 15 times. Vary language to maintain power and reader interest.
To reduce repetition, identify your most-used words using this tool, then brainstorm synonyms that fit your meaning, vary sentence structure to avoid word patterns, and read aloud to hear repetition you might miss visually. Some repetition is acceptable and even strategic for emphasis. But unintentional repetition signals lack of polish. This tool helps you find it so you can decide what to vary and what to keep for intentional effect.
What You Get
Highlights for overused words
Focus on meaningful repetition (not articles/conjunctions)
Identification of words appearing too frequently
Clear marking of repetitive terms
Helps improve word variety
More polished, engaging writing
How It Works
- 1Upload documentUpload your nonprofit writing to check for repetitive words
- 2AI finds repetitionOverused words get highlighted with comments in 1-2 minutes
- 3Review and varyLook at highlighted words and replace with synonyms or restructure sentences
- 4Finalize documentAccept changes for more varied, polished writing
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as too repetitive?
It depends on document length and word importance. A 2-page appeal using 'impact' 12 times feels repetitive. The same word in a 20-page report might be fine. This tool uses algorithms to identify words that appear unusually frequently relative to document length and context. Common words like 'the' or 'and' are not flagged. Content words (nouns, verbs, adjectives) that repeat excessively are marked. Trust your judgment when reviewing. If a word is highlighted and you notice it too, vary it.
Should I change every highlighted word?
No. Some repetition is intentional and effective. If you are deliberately repeating a key phrase for emphasis or branding, keep it. Example: A campaign using 'Every child deserves...' as a refrain should keep that repetition. Change words that repeat unintentionally or feel monotonous when you read aloud. The tool identifies potential repetition. You decide what matters for your specific document and purpose. Strategic repetition is powerful. Unintentional repetition is boring.
What if I need to use certain words repeatedly?
Some words are unavoidable in context. A literacy program will say 'reading' frequently. A food bank will say 'meals' often. That is fine if it is your subject matter. Vary where possible, but do not force awkward synonyms that confuse meaning. 'We provide reading instruction' is clearer than 'We offer literacy pedagogy' just to avoid repeating 'reading.' The tool helps you notice repetition. Use judgment about when variety improves clarity versus when key terms need repetition for precision.
Can this tool suggest synonyms?
No. This tool only highlights repetitive words. You choose appropriate synonyms based on context and meaning. Automated synonym suggestions often miss nuance and suggest inappropriate alternatives. Your expertise in your subject matter makes you best qualified to choose varied language that maintains accuracy. Use a thesaurus or consult colleagues for synonym ideas, but ensure replacements fit your exact meaning. Precision matters more than variety.
Will this make my writing sound unnatural?
Not if you use good judgment. The goal is to eliminate boring repetition, not to force variety everywhere. Read your revised writing aloud. If it sounds natural and varied, great. If synonyms feel forced or confusing, you varied too much or chose poor alternatives. Natural writing has some repetition of key terms balanced with variety in how ideas are expressed. This tool helps you find the balance by showing where repetition is excessive. Your ear determines what sounds right.
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