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Q&A Is it wrong to use the same word multiple times within a few sentences?

I have been told before that when describing things in writing I should use different words, and not to repeat myself so it doesn't become redundant, but sometimes there are no other words that wor...

4 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by EmmieCG‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

Question grammar flow
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T07:13:45Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/31067
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by user avatar EmmieCG‭ · 2019-12-08T07:13:45Z (almost 5 years ago)
I have been told before that when describing things in writing I should use different words, and not to repeat myself so it doesn't become redundant, but sometimes there are no other words that work as well. For example, I've written things before like this:

> The trio had come to a halt in front of a large, sleek building. It appeared to be three stories tall with a bridge lined with windows stretching between the two sections. The walls were smooth and dark. The commander led them through a pair of sleek doors and up the stairs to a room with about a half a dozen people in it.

And have been told that I needed to replace sleek with something else.

Now I don't disagree with that, but is this true in every case? Is it wrong to use the same word multiple times within a few sentences?

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2017-10-26T12:13:27Z (about 7 years ago)
Original score: 27