Thesaurus results for VICIOUS CIRCLE

vicious circle

noun

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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Examples of vicious circle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Perhaps in telling this tale Smith held out the hope that the best of monarchs, like the best of emperors, Augustus, could break this vicious circle. —

Iain Murray, National Review, 16 Dec. 2023 Another said France’s government was dragging its partners into a vicious circle of growing distrust with the country’s new authorities that could erode Europe’s broader involvement in the region. —

Elian Peltier, New York Times, 18 Sep. 2023 Underspending on education has yielded a vicious circle, experts say. —

Vivian Yee, New York Times, 6 Aug. 2023 This vicious circle is not limited to the immediacy of violent episodes, but reaches out, marring relationships and coloring worldviews with shame and fear. —

Maria Williams, USA TODAY, 10 Aug. 2023 See all Example Sentences for vicious circle

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vicious circle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.