“Recur” vs. “reoccur”: What’s the difference?

”Recur” and “reoccur”: A shared root word

The root word of both “recur” and “reoccur” is the Latin verb “currere,” which means “to run.” The very literal meaning of both words is simply “to run again,” but the evolution of these words into common English language words has lent itself to differentiation. “Recur” first appeared in English in the early 1500s as a derivative of the Latin “recurrere,” meaning “to run back.” “Reoccur” comes from the Latin “occurrere,” meaning “to run into,” and found its current form in the 1700s. Running is at the root of both words, while one’s literal definition implies a happening and the other a return.

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What’s the meaning of “recur”?

The word “recur” means to happen repeatedly, often in measured or predictable intervals.

You might set up recurring payments on your new car to withdraw from your account every month. Similarly, summer months bring recurring complaints of aggressive seagulls at popular Gulf Coast beaches. An actor might be cast in a recurring role on a new TV show, and the symptoms of an illness tend to recur every two weeks.

What’s the meaning of “reoccur”?

The word reoccur is used to indicate something that happens again but not necessarily in any sort of measurable interval. Rather, it’s more to talk about something that’s happened or is going to happen more than once, rather than something predictable.

If your house has a finicky AC unit, you might say that the problem reoccurred without warning and now you need to call a technician. When a recession reoccurred in 2009, it was not without comparison to the Great Recession of 1929. The reoccurrence of death hinges on the existence of zombies, and reoccurring tackles during football can lead to concussions and brain damage.

Remembering the difference between “recur” and “reoccur”

Because both of these words refer to something that has happened and may or absolutely will happen again, it’s important to use them correctly in your writing.

• Something that recurs will happen on a regular, repeating basis, like sunrises, heartbeats, birthdays, and holidays.
• Something that reoccurs simply happens more than once. Earthquakes, heart attacks, double rainbows, and shark attacks may happen more than once, but they can’t be planned for or expected.

It might be easy to remember that “occur” means “to happen” and re– means “again.” So, when something happens again, it “reoccurs.”

Grammar rules and other similar words

Learning to write well takes time. Not only are you learning how to structure your sentences, you need to master the different parts of speech and learn how to use them correctly. After that, there’s the business of adding a little flair to your writing with descriptive terms, creative verbs, dialogue, and more.

“Recur” and “reoccur” aren’t the only similar words that are often confused in writing. Words like “choose” vs “chose” and “that” vs “which” are often used incorrectly. Taking the time to learn about common grammatical errors can help you avoid them and strengthen your writing, whether you’re writing a paper for school or penning the next great American novel.