: as before or aforesaid: in the same manner—used to indicate that a previous statement also applies to something or someone else
"I'm ready for a break." "Ditto." [=so am I]The skate park was nearly empty; ditto the dance club. Caity Weaver et al.… wins on the basketball court, ditto at dominoes … — Rolling Stone… everyone in Group A will square off against each other. Ditto for Group B. Igor MelloBreakfast buffet. No problem. Reasonable rates. Ditto. — advertisement in U.S. News
AdverbI worry that I don't have whatever synapses you need to anticipate fun. Although I often enjoy parties, I don't look forward to them. Ditto travel, romantic dinners, even shopping.O, The Oprah Magazine, January 2007Work your way up through the faculty ranks, they said. Don't get pigeonholed by focusing on affirmative action or African-American studies. Ditto for women's issues. Good advice, maybe, but Simmons, 56, the new president of Brown University, never paid much attention to it. Barbara Kantrowitz, Newsweek, 31 Dec. 2001She sinks to her knees and seizes a package, eagerly looking at the tag. It will be from her, or to her, and she will recognize her own name. But the card is blank. Ditto the next package; ditto the third. They are all blank. Mary Tannen, New York Times Magazine, 20 Dec. 1998Until recently most of us believed that such regimens, which usually require a personal trainer, were available only to women whose bodies are their fortune (think Madonna), or who have nothing better to do with their time (ditto). Jennifer Newman, Elle, June 1993Flexner is especially good at showing how misguided attempts to repair furniture can cause more problems than they solve. Using a nail instead of glue to tighten a loose leg on an old chair (as I myself have done) will often destroy the chair, by splitting the wood and ruining the joint (ditto). David Owen, Atlantic, September 1989David is not exactly a crank who writes to writers, although he is probably a bit of that too. I don't know how he gets his living, or whether his letters romanticize either his poverty (he reports only a hunger for books) or his passion (ditto); still, David is a free intellect, a free imagination. Cynthia Ozick, New York Times Book Review, 25 Mar. 1984 Tuesday was spent working all day, and Wednesday was spent ditto. VerbMy favorite was "Sports Collector's News" (the exact pluralization and positioning of the apostrophe I can't quite remember), a dittoed journal produced in some Wisconsin backwater by a man with a Ukrainian surname. Alexander Wolff, Sports Illustrated, 15 Sept. 1986 since you've said what I wanted to say—only better—I will just ditto your comments in my final report Adjective another mega mall filled with chain stores selling ditto merchandise See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Adverb
The seeds did improve yield compared with the local Obatanpa variety, but Ghanaians couldn’t afford to purchase more for the following year’s crop; ditto the chemical inputs (pesticides, herbicides, synthetic fertilizers) that ensured success. Sarah Mccoll, Smithsonian, 26 July 2017 The offensive line is decent, ditto the defensive line and the young corners. Gary Gramling, SI.com, 8 Oct. 2017 Ditto his ability to transcend even so-so songs through the sheer force of his musical skills and personality. George Varga, sandiegouniontribune.com, 6 Aug. 2017 Yes, chairs on wheels whiz in and out, ditto a desk, people run around in circles and bob up and down at will. Joanne Engelhardt, The Mercury News, 31 May 2017
Verb
The restaurants are open on limited days and hours; ditto the winery tasting rooms. Lettie Teague, WSJ, 12 May 2022 Nadia’s tics and mannerisms are her author’s tics and mannerisms; ditto her heritage, mommy issues, former problems with addiction, and personal style. Philippa Snow, The New Republic, 18 Apr. 2022 Fox did not reveal whether host Cat Deeley is back, or if there will be a new emcee at the helm; ditto any information on the show’s judges. Michael Schneider, Variety, 2 Mar. 2022 All that is a distant memory for Donald and ditto the 49ers’ dominance of the Rams in sweeping the season-series for three straight years. Jay Paris, Forbes, 28 Jan. 2022 The system of rapidly-twitching, red blood cell-size mirrors that make home projectors possible are also MEMS; ditto the nozzles on inkjet printers. Christopher Mims, WSJ, 22 Jan. 2022 There’s a natural, conversational untidiness to Tomović’s screenplay, co-written with Tanja Sljivar, that keeps the film buoyant and convincing; ditto the giddy, easy chemistry between its expanding, uniformly fine ensemble. Guy Lodge, Variety, 22 Aug. 2021 The Mall of America is technically in Bloomington, a different city entirely; ditto the Minnesota State Fair, which takes place in Falcon Heights. Ashlea Halpern, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2021 Don’t miss: The menu doesn’t veer too far from the Wendy’s-McDonald’s-Burger King orbit, but the burgers are a cut above their Golden Arches brethren; ditto the fried chicken sandwich, with its crisp, peppery coating and juicy, abundant meat. Rick Nelson, Star Tribune, 29 July 2020 See More
derivative of ditto entry 3; (sense 2) from the duplicator machines using alcohol-based inks manufactured by the Ditto Corporation of Chicago, Illinois
Noun
earlier, "the aforesaid, the same," borrowed from Italian ditto, detto "said, aforesaid," from past participle of dire "to say," going back to Latin dīcere "to talk, speak, say" — more at diction