Repeatedly vs. Frequently — What's the Difference?

Repeatedly emphasizes the action of doing something again and again, possibly to the point of predictability or annoyance. It carries a connotation of persistence or insistence, as in actions that are performed multiple times in a close sequence. For example, if someone calls you repeatedly, it suggests they are calling several times in a row without waiting long between calls. Frequently, on the other hand, suggests a high rate of occurrence over a period of time but allows for intervals between occurrences. It indicates that something happens often but doesn't specify the regularity or sequence of those events. When someone visits a place frequently, it means they go there often, but not necessarily in immediate succession or with a fixed pattern.

The key difference lies in the pattern and implication of the occurrences. Repeatedly can imply a sense of urgency or emphasis and is often used in contexts where an action is done over and over in a relatively short timeframe. Frequently denotes regularity or common occurrence over a longer span of time, without the immediate connotation of back-to-back actions.

Choosing between these terms depends on the context and the speaker's intent to convey either the continuous nature of an action (repeatedly) or the regularity of its occurrence (frequently). For instance, "The software crashed repeatedly during testing" highlights the successive nature of the crashes, whereas "The software frequently crashes during testing" indicates that crashes happen often but not necessarily one right after the other.

Both terms serve to highlight patterns of occurrence, but the choice between them can subtly change the listener's or reader's understanding of the events' frequency, pattern, and perhaps even the speaker's attitude towards those events.