Reoccurring

Reoccurring is an adjective meaning happening again or repeatedly. It is related to recurring, reoccur, and recurrence. The verb forms most commonly used are reoccur or recur, meaning to happen again; the noun forms are reoccurrence and recurrence, with recurrence being the more standard in formal writing. The adjective recurring is also used to describe events that occur repeatedly, especially on a regular basis.

Spelling and usage guidance vary by style guide. Many editors and dictionaries treat reoccurring as a nonstandard variant of recurring, and advise using recurring for descriptions of things that happen on a repeated or regular schedule. For nouns, recurrence is the preferred term to denote the act or instance of repeating; reoccurrence is recognized but less common. In formal contexts, prefer recurring or recurrence, and reserve reoccur or reoccurrence for contexts where the verb or noun sense is specifically intended, while noting that some readers will recognize reoccurring as a familiar, if nonstandard, form.

Etymology and related terms: the idea is built from the prefix re- meaning again, combined with occur or recur. Related words include recurrence (the noun for something that happens again), and the phrase recurring event or recurring theme, used to describe patterns that repeat over time.

See also: recurrence, recurring, reoccur, reoccurrence.