A
Actual fact: A fact is always actual.
Added bonus: A bonus is by definition something added.
Adequate enough: One or the other will work.
Arm’s reach: reach or arm’s length.
BBlatantly obvious: Things that are blatant are obvious.
Blend together: Blended means together and vice versa.
[Adjective]-born: e.g., Brazilian-born, Texan-born. Make it Brazil-born or Texas-born (or Brazilian or Texan).
Browse through: To browse is to look through something. So, through is already contained in its meaning.
C
Chase after: Can one chase otherwise?
Close proximity: To be in proximity to something is to be close to it. Try close to or in proximity to instead.
Collaborate together: How can one collaborate otherwise?
Comingle, co-mingle: The verb mingle means to mix or bring together in combination.
Combine together: To combine is to bring multiple things together.
Continue on: If you use two words, try go on.
Critical juncture: A juncture is a moment made critical by a concurrence of circumstances.
Critically important: What is critical is always important and vice versa.
Current status quo: The status quo is the current state of affairs.
D
Each and every: The words each and every are synonyms.
Early beginnings: Are there "late beginnings"?
End result: Both are synonymous
Enter into: Try go into or just enter.
Equally as: Try one or the other.
Excess(ive) verbiage: Verbiage is an excess of words.
F
False pretense and false pretenses: Pretenses are by definition false.
Favorably disposed: To be disposed is to have a favorable inclination to something.
Fellow classmates: Try fellow students.
Few in number: Few always pertains to number.
Final result: Is there a non-final result?
First dibs: When you have dibs on something, you have the primary claim to it.
First discovered: Generally, something can only be discovered once, but there are exceptions — for example, “I first discovered bananas in 1979, then forget about them and then discovered them again in 2009.” Alternatives: First saw, first encountered, first observed.
Follow after. Can one follow in front?
Forewarn: Warning always means something beforehand.
Free gift: If it is not free, it is not a gift.
Future plans: All plans pertain to the future.
G
General consensus (of opinion): A consensus is an opinion generally held by a group.
General vicinity. A vicinity is by nature general.
H
Historic milestone: A milestone is by definition historic.
I
In the negative: Try the word "no".
In the process of: The meaning of this phrase is usually conveyed by the surrounding verbs. For example, we are in the process of moving could be just we are moving.
Interact with each other: Can one interact alone?
Intermingle: Mingling always is to be among (inter) people or something
J
Join together: Things that join can only do so together.
Joint cooperation: If it is not done jointly, it is not cooperation.
Just exactly: Exactly means precisely or in all respects, and one definition of just is precisely.
M
Main protagonist: A protagonist is always the main person.
Manually by hand: Manually means by hand.
Meld together: Can one meld on one's own?
Mental attitude: Can an attitude be anything but mental?
Merge together: How else can one merge, but together.
Mix together: Can one not mix (something) together?
Moment in time: A moment is a short, indefinite period of time.
Most quintessential: Quintessential contains most in its definition — i.e., the most typical of a quality or state.
O
Old adage: The definition of adage is a traditional (i.e., old) saying that is accepted as true.
Orbit around: Orbit means to go around (something).
Outward appearances: Appearances are by definition outward.
Over-exaggerate: Excess is contained in the meaning of exaggerate, but over-exaggerate works where exaggeration is expected, such as in some types of acting.
P
Past experience: All experience is in the past.
Past history: All history is in the past.
Pervade throughout: The verb pervade means to be present throughout.
Plan ahead: Can one plan in the past?
Plan in advance: To plan means in advance.
Prior experience: All experience is prior (though people seem to love using this phrase in job listings).
Proceed forward: To proceed is to move forward.
Proceed further: To proceed means to go further.
Proof positive: Proof is usually sufficient.
R
Rate of speed: Rate or speed is usually sufficient.
Reason is because: Reason is contained in the definition of because; and while the phrase "reason is because" is common, sticklers for this sort of thing say either the reason is that or it is because.
Repay back: Go with either pay back or repay.
Repeat again: This is redundant when something is repeated for the first time.
Return back: Try go back or just return.
Revert back: either go back or just revert.
S
Self-confessed: Can one confess for someone else?
Sequential order: Use either in order or in sequence.
Shared commonalities: Commonalities are shared.
Slight edge: One definition of edge is a slight advantage or superiority, so the modifier is unnecessary.
Software programs: All computer programs are software.
Steady stream: Streams are by definition steady.
Sum total: These words are synonyms.
Sworn affidavit: An affidavit is a formal statement of fact made under oath before a notary public or other authorized officer.
Science fiction: It cannot be science and fiction, since both are mutually exclusive. Hence say or write just fiction.
U
Unexpected surprise: A surprise by definition is unexpected. Otherwise it would not be a surprise!
Up until: Use up to or just until.
Uphill climb: When climb isn’t emphatic enough, try uphill battle.
Usually always: Both are synonymous.
V
Various different: These words are synonyms.
W
Well respected: If you want to use the word well, try well regarded or well thought of.
Whether or not: "Or not" is often contained in the meaning of whether; but whether or not is not redundant when "or not" is a necessary alternative to the positive option (e.g., “I’m going whether you go or not").
While at the same time: Both "while" and "at the same time" mean the same.
Whole entire: These words are synonyms.
Actual fact: A fact is always actual.
Added bonus: A bonus is by definition something added.
Adequate enough: One or the other will work.
Arm’s reach: reach or arm’s length.
BBlatantly obvious: Things that are blatant are obvious.
Blend together: Blended means together and vice versa.
[Adjective]-born: e.g., Brazilian-born, Texan-born. Make it Brazil-born or Texas-born (or Brazilian or Texan).
Browse through: To browse is to look through something. So, through is already contained in its meaning.
C
Chase after: Can one chase otherwise?
Close proximity: To be in proximity to something is to be close to it. Try close to or in proximity to instead.
Collaborate together: How can one collaborate otherwise?
Comingle, co-mingle: The verb mingle means to mix or bring together in combination.
Combine together: To combine is to bring multiple things together.
Continue on: If you use two words, try go on.
Critical juncture: A juncture is a moment made critical by a concurrence of circumstances.
Critically important: What is critical is always important and vice versa.
Current status quo: The status quo is the current state of affairs.
D
Each and every: The words each and every are synonyms.
Early beginnings: Are there "late beginnings"?
End result: Both are synonymous
Enter into: Try go into or just enter.
Equally as: Try one or the other.
Excess(ive) verbiage: Verbiage is an excess of words.
F
False pretense and false pretenses: Pretenses are by definition false.
Favorably disposed: To be disposed is to have a favorable inclination to something.
Fellow classmates: Try fellow students.
Few in number: Few always pertains to number.
Final result: Is there a non-final result?
First dibs: When you have dibs on something, you have the primary claim to it.
First discovered: Generally, something can only be discovered once, but there are exceptions — for example, “I first discovered bananas in 1979, then forget about them and then discovered them again in 2009.” Alternatives: First saw, first encountered, first observed.
Follow after. Can one follow in front?
Forewarn: Warning always means something beforehand.
Free gift: If it is not free, it is not a gift.
Future plans: All plans pertain to the future.
G
General consensus (of opinion): A consensus is an opinion generally held by a group.
General vicinity. A vicinity is by nature general.
H
Historic milestone: A milestone is by definition historic.
I
In the negative: Try the word "no".
In the process of: The meaning of this phrase is usually conveyed by the surrounding verbs. For example, we are in the process of moving could be just we are moving.
Interact with each other: Can one interact alone?
Intermingle: Mingling always is to be among (inter) people or something
J
Join together: Things that join can only do so together.
Joint cooperation: If it is not done jointly, it is not cooperation.
Just exactly: Exactly means precisely or in all respects, and one definition of just is precisely.
M
Main protagonist: A protagonist is always the main person.
Manually by hand: Manually means by hand.
Meld together: Can one meld on one's own?
Mental attitude: Can an attitude be anything but mental?
Merge together: How else can one merge, but together.
Mix together: Can one not mix (something) together?
Moment in time: A moment is a short, indefinite period of time.
Most quintessential: Quintessential contains most in its definition — i.e., the most typical of a quality or state.
O
Old adage: The definition of adage is a traditional (i.e., old) saying that is accepted as true.
Orbit around: Orbit means to go around (something).
Outward appearances: Appearances are by definition outward.
Over-exaggerate: Excess is contained in the meaning of exaggerate, but over-exaggerate works where exaggeration is expected, such as in some types of acting.
P
Past experience: All experience is in the past.
Past history: All history is in the past.
Pervade throughout: The verb pervade means to be present throughout.
Plan ahead: Can one plan in the past?
Plan in advance: To plan means in advance.
Prior experience: All experience is prior (though people seem to love using this phrase in job listings).
Proceed forward: To proceed is to move forward.
Proceed further: To proceed means to go further.
Proof positive: Proof is usually sufficient.
R
Rate of speed: Rate or speed is usually sufficient.
Reason is because: Reason is contained in the definition of because; and while the phrase "reason is because" is common, sticklers for this sort of thing say either the reason is that or it is because.
Repay back: Go with either pay back or repay.
Repeat again: This is redundant when something is repeated for the first time.
Return back: Try go back or just return.
Revert back: either go back or just revert.
S
Self-confessed: Can one confess for someone else?
Sequential order: Use either in order or in sequence.
Shared commonalities: Commonalities are shared.
Slight edge: One definition of edge is a slight advantage or superiority, so the modifier is unnecessary.
Software programs: All computer programs are software.
Steady stream: Streams are by definition steady.
Sum total: These words are synonyms.
Sworn affidavit: An affidavit is a formal statement of fact made under oath before a notary public or other authorized officer.
Science fiction: It cannot be science and fiction, since both are mutually exclusive. Hence say or write just fiction.
U
Unexpected surprise: A surprise by definition is unexpected. Otherwise it would not be a surprise!
Up until: Use up to or just until.
Uphill climb: When climb isn’t emphatic enough, try uphill battle.
Usually always: Both are synonymous.
V
Various different: These words are synonyms.
W
Well respected: If you want to use the word well, try well regarded or well thought of.
Whether or not: "Or not" is often contained in the meaning of whether; but whether or not is not redundant when "or not" is a necessary alternative to the positive option (e.g., “I’m going whether you go or not").
While at the same time: Both "while" and "at the same time" mean the same.
Whole entire: These words are synonyms.