iterate
gb/ɪtɚˌeɪt/ us/ɪtɚˌeɪt/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
Verb
C1
action
1
repeat a process in cycles
to do a process again and again, usually to make it better or get the right result
Usage pattern:
iterate; iterate [a process/solution]; iterate until [result]
Common mistake:
Do not use iterate for simply saying something twice; reiterate is much more common for repeating a statement.
Synonyms
repeat (broader; does not necessarily suggest improvement or cycles)
|
refine (emphasizes improvement more than repetition)
|
revise (emphasizes changing something after review)
Antonyms
finalize (finish changing or developing something)
|
stop (end the cycle instead of continuing it)
|
do once (perform a single time rather than repeatedly)
Collocations
test and iterate
|keep iterating
|iterate quickly
|iterate based on feedback
|iterate a process
|iterate a solution
|learn and iterate
|prototype and iterate
|iterate until it works
Themes
work
|business
|technology
|design
Examples
- The team built a simple prototype, tested it with users, and iterated.
- Good software teams release early and iterate based on feedback.
- Scientists iterated the procedure until the measurements were stable.
Learner examples
- We can test the idea and iterate.
- They iterated the plan after each meeting.
Verb
technical
C1
action
2
run repeated calculations
to run the same calculation or computer procedure again and again
Usage pattern:
[an algorithm/program] iterates; iterate [a formula/procedure]
Common mistake:
In programming, iterate can mean repeat a procedure; iterate over or iterate through means go item by item through data.
Synonyms
loop (common programming term for repeating instructions)
|
recalculate (means calculate again, not necessarily in a repeated sequence)
|
repeat (less technical and more general)
Antonyms
terminate (end a procedure or loop)
|
halt (stop running)
|
run once (execute only a single time)
Collocations
algorithm iterates
|iterate a formula
|iterate a function
|iterate a procedure
|iterate until convergence
|loop iterates
|method iterates
|iterate from an initial guess
|iterate ten times
Themes
mathematics
|programming
|science
|technology
Examples
- The algorithm iterates until the error is small enough.
- To solve the equation, the program iterates the formula using the previous estimate.
- The model iterated 10,000 times during the simulation.
Learner examples
- The loop iterates ten times.
- The program iterates until it finds an answer.
Verb
formal
C2
action
3
state again formally
to state something again, especially in a formal way
Usage pattern:
iterate [a point/claim]; iterate that [clause]
Common mistake:
Use reiterate in most ordinary contexts when you mean “say again”; iterate sounds unusual in this sense.
Synonyms
reiterate (much more common for emphasizing that something is said again)
|
repeat (neutral and common)
|
restate (emphasizes expressing the same idea again, possibly in different words)
Antonyms
withdraw (take back a statement)
|
retract (formally take back a statement)
|
deny (state that something is not true)
Collocations
iterate a point
|iterate a claim
|iterate a warning
|iterate a demand
|iterate that
|repeatedly iterate
Themes
communication
|formal_language
Examples
- The speaker iterated the same point several times during the debate.
- The document iterates that all visitors must sign in before entering the building.
- In the formal statement, the company iterated its commitment to customer privacy.
Learner examples
- The manager iterated the rule again.
- The letter iterates the same warning.
Grammar
Dictionary form
iterate
IPA
GB/ɪtɚˌeɪt/
US/ɪtɚˌeɪt/
Syllables & stress
it - er - ate (3 syllables)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: iterate
- 3rd Person Singular: iterates
- Present Participle: iterating
- Past: iterated
Expressions
iterate on something
1/ɪtɚˌeɪt ˈɔn sˈʌmθɪŋ/
phrasal verb
business
improve through repeated changes
to improve something by changing and testing it again and again
Examples
- We will iterate on the prototype after the user tests.
- The startup iterated on its pricing model for months.
- Don’t wait for the perfect draft; iterate on what you have.
iterate over something
1/ɪtɚˌeɪt ˈoʊvɚ sˈʌmθɪŋ/
phrasal verb
technical
loop through each item
in code, to go through each item in a list or group
Examples
- The script iterates over every file in the folder and checks its size.
- Use a for loop to iterate over the array.
- The function iterates over the search results and returns only active accounts.
iterate through something
1/ɪtɚˌeɪt θɹˈu sˈʌmθɪŋ/
phrasal verb
technical
go through items sequentially
to go through things one by one in order
Examples
- The program iterates through the records and flags missing addresses.
- She wrote a loop that iterates through the folders one at a time.
- Before choosing a solution, we iterated through several scenarios.