come full circle

Definition & Meaning of "come full circle"

to come full circle

to go through a series of efforts or actions only to end up back where one started, highlighting the lack of progress or meaningful change

to [come|go|turn] full circle definition and meaning

Idiom

What is the origin of the idiom "come full circle" and when to use it?

The origin of the idiom "come full circle" goes back to the ancient Greeks, who believed in the concept of the "anacyclosis," the idea that civilizations and governments go through a cycle of birth, growth, decay, and rebirth. Today, the idiom is commonly used in a variety of contexts, including personal growth, historical events, and cultural trends, to describe a situation where something has returned to its original state or position after a series of changes or developments. The idiom implies that the journey has been completed, and the person or thing has returned to its starting point.

Example

After years of traveling and living abroad, she came full circle and returned to her hometown to start a family.

The company's focus on customer service had come full circle, as they returned to the original values that had made them successful in the first place.