Semantic Satiation

That moment when you repeat a word many times to the point it has no meaning and it feels odd to pronounce it.

Oh no, what a Semantic Satiation...

by Interius July 16, 2021

semantic satiation

when you say a word so much it starts to sound fucking weird

Ducksauce had to say the same thing so many times at an audition he got semantic satiation

by MadWolf March 25, 2013

semantic satiation

Semantic satiation is a psychological phenomenon where repeating a word or phrase many times causes it to temporarily lose its meaning, making it sound like a meaningless collection of sounds. This occurs because repeated activation of a neural pathway to a word's meaning can cause temporary fatigue or inhibition, leading the brain to re-regulate its focus and temporarily cease to process the word's meaning.

I kept repeating the word 'crowded' over and over for a minute, and by the end, it just sounded like a weird noise—total semantic satiation!

by Emotional Cruiser October 12, 2025