self-reinforcing

adjective

self-re·​in·​forc·​ing ˌself-ˌrē-ən-ˈfȯr-siŋ 

: tending or serving to strengthen itself : reinforcing itself

According to this thinking, a self-reinforcing feedback loop—bigger brains, better tools, more food—drove forward the process of human evolution.

—Michael Rothschild

Just as many negative behaviors are self-reinforcing, we often view related positive behaviors as more trouble than they're worth.

—Colleen Dunn Bates

Examples of self-reinforcing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

When those expectations break, the selling can become self-reinforcing. — Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026

One key is making enforcement self-reinforcing to the extent possible. — Teresa Liu, Daily News, 4 May 2026

The trend is self-reinforcing, with founders decamping to California to find and work alongside other talent. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 28 May 2026

The lesson for investors is that concentration can be self-reinforcing during bull markets, until sentiment changes. — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 12 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for self-reinforcing

• crowdsourcing
• reinforcing
• coursing
• forcing
• sourcing
• discoursing
• divorcing
• endorsing
• enforcing
• indorsing
• outsourcing