come / go / turn full circle

/kˈʌm ɡˌəʊ tˈɜːn fˈʊl sˈɜːkəl/

/kˈʌm ɡˌoʊ tˈɜːn fˈʊl sˈɜːkəl/

to come / go / turn 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

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.

Examples

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

2. The artist's work had gone full circle, as they had returned to the style and themes that they had explored early in their career.

3. The city had turned full circle, as it had undergone a revitalization that had brought it back to its former glory as a cultural center.

4. The political party had gone full circle, as it had returned to the original principles and values that had guided it in its early days.

Nearby words

come hell or high water