Thesaurus results for VICIOUS CIRCLE

vicious circle

noun

variants also vicious cycle

Definition of vicious circle

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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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

Noun

Astronomers have long known that Betelgeuse has an unexplained six-year-long periodic fluctuation in its brightness in addition to its less dramatic 400-day cycle.

— Phil Plait, Scientific American, 14 Aug. 2026
Nights can be a sullen cycle of sleep, showering and opening a window — only to close it later to block out the urban noise.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of cycle

Noun

Diners are also trading up to fast-casual chains like Cava and Chipotle, which both called out strong growth among lower-end consumers during the latest quarter.

— Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
People can become infected in one place and travel elsewhere before monitoring teams know they have been exposed, potentially creating new chains of transmission that are difficult to trace.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of chain

Noun

Everyone in McCollough’s circle could see she was consumed by the relationship.

— Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026
Toward the end of their rally, supporters formed a circle, said the Lord’s Prayer, held up their arms and formed hearts with their hands.

— Michael Casey, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of circle

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vicious

vicious circle

vicious circles

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“Vicious circle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vicious%20circle. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of vicious circle

noun

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