Recurring vs Reoccurring: Difference and Comparison

The nouns “recurring” and “reoccurring” are confused with each other because they are pronounced the same way, have almost similar meanings, and are both used as nouns.

However, they have significant differences in meanings and must not be confused and must be used in the correct places in sentences.

Key Takeaways

  1. Recurring refers to something that happens at regular intervals, while reoccurring refers to something that happens repeatedly but not necessarily on a fixed schedule.
  2. A monthly payment is an example of recurring, while a headache that comes back every few days is an example of reoccurring.
  3. Recurring events are planned and anticipated, while reoccurring events may be unexpected and cause frustration.

Recurring vs Reoccurring

Recurring refers to events that repeatedly occur over fixed periods, while reoccurring events repeatedly happen without the constraints of a time frame. In simple terms, a reoccurring event that follows a set period of reoccurrence is called recurring.

Recurring vs Reoccurring

Recurring in the simplest terms could mean somethings that reoccurs after a fixed interval of time.

For example, a monthly subscription to be paid on the first day of every month for a membership account is a recurring payment. In general, it can also be used in different sentences to mean the same thing.

Reoccurring means, in simple terms, that something happens over and over again. For example, if you’re trying to find a freelance job, reoccurring work is when a company contacts you, again and again, to work with them.

There are no strict boundaries to the time frame of reoccurrence, but it does appear again and again.

Comparison Table

Parameters of ComparisonRecurringReoccurring
MeaningRecurring things or events happen repeatedly after certain periods. Reoccurring things or events are those that happen multiple times.
Time IntervalRecurring things recur after a fixed period.Reoccurring events or things do not follow a time frame.
BroaderRecurring is a narrower aspect.Reoccurring things can also be recurring therefore it is the broader aspect.
First UsedThe word recurring was first widely used in 1879.The word reoccurring was first widely used in 1871.
Commonly UsedRecurring is a term widely used in finance and banking or business.Reoccurring is a term commonly used to describe day-to-day repeated events.

What is Recurring?

Recurring is the ability to repeat certain activities and cycle them through certain periods. The concept of recurring encompasses many different things. It means when something happens repeatedly but in fixed intervals of time. 

In the case of a membership site, it refers to the membership’s recurring nature. Meaning that the members pay a monthly or annual fee to join or use the service or site by a fixed date of the month or year.

Recurring things can also be classified upon their frequency of recurrence. What recurrence refers to is the frequency at which you want this particular task to run.

For example, if you want to run the task every day, then that is a daily recurrence. If you want to run this every hour, then that is hourly recurrence.

Recurring is a term frequently used in business and finance. It can refer to several things, from a medical condition to the process of recycling. In business and finance, recurring refers to the time frame that recurs.

For example, recurring billing occurs every month. A recurring invoice is sent every month. Recurring revenue is revenue that is earned every month.

What is Reoccurring?

Reoccurring can mean several different things. It can, for example, refer to a reoccurring payment. It can also refer to a reoccurring action or even to a reoccurring cycle.

The word can be used in a variety of contexts, but it has a similar meaning in each of them.

The word refers to a type of decision-making strategy that occurs cyclically. In a reoccurring cycle, the most recent events are compared against the last point of reference.

This helps one to predict how they will perform about the past. In general, the term can refer to advice that has been given previously.

The term reoccurring, as it applies to business, refers to multiple payments to a company for service. It’s a way for a business to get money upfront so it can use it for equipment and other needs.

When a person makes a purchase or sign-up for a service and then makes that same purchase or signs up for the same service again at a later date, this is referred to as a reoccurring business.

One example is how new moons happen each month. The moon goes through a cycle where it can be seen in the sky for a few days, then it disappears for a few days, and then it reappears again.

In this case, the moon is reoccurring. Another example is how people experience habits. When someone has a habit, they tend to do a certain thing or act in a certain way that they have the urge to repeat.

Even though the habit isn’t new, it can still be considered reoccurring.

Main Differences Between Recurring and Reoccurring

  1. Reoccurring is everything that happens over and over again. Recurring can be a word used for a lot of things, but it is used for repeating in a set interval.
  2. Recurring does not imply a negative connotation, but reoccurring does so enough. On the other hand, reoccurring is used more in the context of describing an action, such as “the reoccurring nightmare.”
  3. They can both be used as verbs and nouns, but the term reoccurring is more commonly used as an adjective.
  4. “Recurring” was first recorded in 1879, while “reoccurring” was first recorded in 1871.
  5. All reoccurring things are not recurring, but all recurring things are reoccurring things or events.
Difference Between Recurring and Reoccurring

References

  1. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/443950
  2. https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/456174
  3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969714005609

Last Updated : 13 July, 2023

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