Definition

Semantic satiation is a phenomenon whereby the uninterrupted repetition of a word eventually leads to a sense that the word has lost its meaning. This effect is also known as semantic saturation or verbal satiation.

The concept of semantic satiation was described by E. Severance and M.F. Washburn in The American Journal of Psychology in 1907. The term was introduced by psychologists Leon James and Wallace E. Lambert in the article "Semantic Satiation Among Bilinguals" in the Journal of Experimental Psychology (1961).

For most people, the way they've experience semantic satiation is in a playful context: deliberately repeating a single word over and over again just to get to that sensation when it stops feeling like an actual word. However, this phenomenon can appear in more subtle ways. For instance, writing teachers will often insist that students use repeated words with care, not just because it demonstrates a better vocabulary and a more eloquent style, but to avoid the loss of significance. Overuse of "strong" words, such as words with intense connotations or profanity, can also fall victim to semantic satiation and lose their intensity.

See Examples and Observations below. For related concepts, also see:

Examples and Observations