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
-
The investors who made generational money in past cycles never bought the most exciting story at the IPO moment.—
Bhaskar Chakravorti,
Fortune,
7 June 2026
-
Co-parenting classes are designed to interrupt that cycle.—
Jann Blackstone,
Boston Herald,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
In Manatí, near a chain of Taíno caves and the Tortuguero Nature Reserve (the island’s only natural lagoon), Efrén David Robles is expanding the idea of what Puerto Rico offers beyond San Juan’s beaches and El Yunque National Forest.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
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While HomeGoods is primarily known for its affordable, on-trend selection of furniture, decorative accents, kitchenware, and more, the chain retailer also boasts an incredible selection of delicious snacks that come from all across the globe.—
Sarah Lyon,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
Long an astute observer of discovery and rediscovery, whether the subject is a city or herself, Sante—having emerged from a tight circle of luminaries including Jim Jarmusch, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Nan Goldin—is now on the precipice of a second artistic renaissance.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
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Between releases, the band has experienced pivotal full-circle moments, the pendulum of time pushing them back into the past and informing their future.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Building out the continuum of care for pregnant women and for postpartum moms is essential to transforming lives and changing outcomes.—
Mary C. Mayhew,
Sun Sentinel,
4 June 2026
-
What Hill envisions is a continuum of care—therapy and coaching not as competing camps but as complementary services.—
Megan Bruneau,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vicious circle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vicious%20circle. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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