THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE
A vicious circle
Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.
01 / UNDERSTAND
Meaning in plain English
A repeating chain in which one problem causes another that makes the first problem worse.
02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT
The expression in a sentence
- Rushing caused mistakes, and fixing them left less time and forced more rushing—a vicious circle.
03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Quick idiom quiz
Try the question without looking back, then write a sentence of your own. You can retry as often as you like.
0 of 1 checked correctly
Can you recall the expression?
Complete the example using the expression from this lesson.
Rushing caused mistakes, and fixing them left less time and forced more rushing—________.
Show the answer
A vicious circle — A repeating chain in which one problem causes another that makes the first problem worse.
Try your own sentence (optional)
Make it yours
Write one sentence using “A vicious circle” about your own life.
Check your sentence
Does your sentence match this meaning?
A repeating chain in which one problem causes another that makes the first problem worse.
Compare: Rushing caused mistakes, and fixing them left less time and forced more rushing—a vicious circle.
Check the spelling and how the expression fits the sentence. Your example can be different.
Self-review only. Your sentence is not automatically marked, saved or submitted.
This quiz is for practice. To save lesson completion on this device, complete the checks in the app.
GO DEEPER
More ways to understand and use it
Jump to a section
When to use it
Use it when explaining a self-reinforcing difficulty. It suits everyday, study and workplace discussion.
More examples in context
- We were caught in a vicious circle of poor training, errors and urgent corrections that left no time for training.
- Late deliveries caused missed sales, leaving less money for reliable delivery: a vicious circle.
Usage note
Vicious cycle is a common variation. More than simple repetition is needed: a later problem must feed back into the earlier one.
A short conversation
A: Why are the same mistakes still happening?
B: We are in a vicious circle. Corrections take away the time we need to train people properly.
A: Let us set aside training time that cannot be used for routine work.
One more practice question
Which sequence is a vicious circle?
A. One error is corrected and never causes any further difficulty.
B. Rushing causes errors; fixing errors creates more time pressure, which causes more rushing.
Check your answer
B. The consequences feed back into and worsen the original problem.
Related lessons
Meaning and usage checked against Cambridge Dictionary. Explanations, examples and conversation are original.