vicious circle

noun

variants also vicious cycle
Definition of vicious circlenext
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of vicious circle Talent marketplaces have the potential to break workforce development out of this vicious circle. — Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2026 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 Thanks to the vicious circle Beijing has created, the economy now routinely struggles to reach its annual growth target of five percent and is constantly battling deflation. — Dan Wang, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 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
  1. cycle
  2. chain
  3. circle
  4. continuum
Noun
  • As such, the greatest obstacle to genuine transformation is getting stuck in the planning cycle.
    — Jeff DeGraff, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The medications work by blocking certain chemical messengers in the part of the brain that regulates body temperature and manages sleep/wake cycles, according to the guidance.
    — Shannon Firth, NPR, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of cycle
Noun
  • The contract covers engineering, technical assistance, technology integration, supply-chain development, workforce training and digital transformation initiatives.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
  • About 700 French supermarkets were affected, with one chain reporting losses of tens of millions of euros in a day; Dutch stores also faced a separate cybersecurity incident disrupting deliveries.
    — John Leicester, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of chain
Noun
  • Macdonald, who died in 2021, is and was revered in comedy circles.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
  • This, in some ways, could be a blessing for Harry and Meghan and a curse for those in royal circles.
    — Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of circle
Noun
  • Connecticut’s two continuums of care have received about $100 million in annual grants for decades, according to Fox.
    — Maia Nehme, Hartford Courant, 23 Sep. 2026
  • At Crystal Bridges, however, the house is considered within a wider continuum of American art — connecting what came out of the country’s ground with what its artists and designers imagined from it.
    — Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of continuum

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“Vicious circle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vicious%20circle. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on vicious circle

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about vicious circle

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