variants
also vicious cycle
as in cycle
a repeating situation or condition in which one problem causes another problem that makes the first problem worse
We're trapped in a vicious circle of needing to borrow money in order to pay debts.
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Recent Examples of vicious circle
If people believed that inner joy was an index of personal redemption, then some might also read their own low mood as signs of their abandonment by God and fall into a vicious circle of self-reinforcing anguish.
—
Literary Hub, 10 Mar. 2026
Hamas may commit to some version of disarmament, but their militant ideology, desire for influence over Gaza’s future, and the presence of the IDF will give them a thousand reasons not to give up their arms, and their failure to do so, in turn, will give the IDF reason to stay—a vicious circle.
—Foreign Affairs, 9 Oct. 2025
But Carter, who still suffers nightmares and panic attacks, found himself in a vicious circle of mental breakdowns followed by escalating sanctions, each leaving Carter further from receiving effective treatment and further from getting paroled, Margolis said.
—Paul Egan, Freep.com, 6 May 2025
This vicious circle means that for electric-plane design, adding batteries to boost range isn't a viable strategy.
—IEEE Spectrum, 24 May 2016
See All Example Sentences for vicious circle
Literary Hub, 10 Mar. 2026
Hamas may commit to some version of disarmament, but their militant ideology, desire for influence over Gaza’s future, and the presence of the IDF will give them a thousand reasons not to give up their arms, and their failure to do so, in turn, will give the IDF reason to stay—a vicious circle.
—Foreign Affairs, 9 Oct. 2025
But Carter, who still suffers nightmares and panic attacks, found himself in a vicious circle of mental breakdowns followed by escalating sanctions, each leaving Carter further from receiving effective treatment and further from getting paroled, Margolis said.
—Paul Egan, Freep.com, 6 May 2025
This vicious circle means that for electric-plane design, adding batteries to boost range isn't a viable strategy.
—IEEE Spectrum, 24 May 2016
See All Example Sentences for vicious circle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vicious circle
Noun
-
And Rodgers pushes the Steelers close to the postseason, but further from a position to draft the QB who will end this cycle in 2027.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
-
The remainder of the card is still being finalized, but the announcement timing — dropped during the UFC Vegas 117 broadcast and right as Francis Ngannou was walking to the cage on Netflix’s MVP MMA 1 — sets the stage for the rest of the bouts to drop in a heavy promotional cycle leading into July.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Kelce wore a charcoal-gray plaid suit paired with a black T-shirt and a chain necklace.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
-
Inside was the set for Metro Designers, an outlet of Christie Smith’s clothing chain, which sells monochromatic clothes—one color per month.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Power dynamics in your social circles are also exposed.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
19 May 2026
-
The Avalanche forward wouldn’t say which current Golden Knights player is renting his residence in Las Vegas, but good luck finding a juicier subplot in this Western Conference Final than Roy’s full-circle trajectory over the past 11 months.—
Nate Peterson,
Denver Post,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
But even with this 100-fold boost in brightness, LAP1-B is so dim that neither the JWST nor Hubble could detect its stellar continuum—the steady background light of its stars.—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
13 May 2026
-
The priority has to be a full continuum of care — emergency interim housing, permanent supportive housing and mental health services — so people can rebuild their lives safely and sustainably.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vicious circle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vicious%20circle. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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