Wednesday Writing Tip #134: Recur vs. Reoccur

Do you have a reoccurring or recurring fear of heights? Does it happen at random or every Sunday when you hike in the mountains?

A reoccurring confusion appears over “recur” vs. “reoccur.” Sometimes it’s a matter of which one to use when. Sometimes it’s a matter of realizing that these are in fact two different words.

“Recurring” means that something happens regularly (on a schedule). A weekly meeting is a recurring meeting; a monthly bill is a recurring bill; my recurring writing tips are posted every Wednesday.
“Reoccurring” means that something will happen again, but it’s a bit more random or less scheduled. The springtime can have reoccurring thunderstorms; one might have reoccurring typos; your reoccurring reference to my new grammar book might improve your writing skills. (Alright? Not All Right: 100 Writing Tips for the Curious or Confused is now on sale!)

This word choice comes up a lot in corporate communications. I say, impress your supervisors, and teach your team all about it. Shouldn’t savvy language use be one more tactic to get ahead?

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