break out of the cycle

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "break out of the cycle" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the need to escape a repetitive or unproductive pattern in behavior or circumstances. Example: "To improve our productivity, we need to break out of the cycle of procrastination and start taking action."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

34 human-written examples

To break out of the cycle, the carriers need to take stronger medicine, experts say.

The New York Times

To break out of the cycle, there are a few things you can do.

Harvard Business Review

He was a virtuous character trying to break out of the cycle of deprivation and violence and he did.

The Guardian - Music

Jo Swinson, the business minister, said: "Helping people to break out of the cycle of problem debt is a key objective for the government.

The Guardian - Money

The ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict and efforts to break out of the cycle of violence continued to dominate the Middle East agenda in 2002.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Our mission is to provide financial literacy and self-development skills to foreign domestic workers and lower income women to enable them and their families to break out of the cycle of poverty.

Princeton University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

26 human-written examples

In the Buddhist view, a person's conduct in any one of successive lives on earth will increase or diminish that person's prospects of eventually breaking out of the cycle of recurrent births.

Britannica

In the Buddhist view, a person's conduct in any one of his successive lives on Earth will increase or diminish his prospects of eventually breaking out of the cycle of recurrent births.

Encyclopedia Britannica

To break out of this cycle, it's time to start saying no.

Harvard Business Review

The second half of this essay will explore an approach to breaking out of this cycle.

Huffington Post

And that's a very difficult cycle to break out of".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Combine "break out of the cycle" with actionable steps or strategies to emphasize the possibility of change and improvement.

Common error

Avoid using "break out of the cycle" without specifying what the cycle is. For instance, instead of saying "We need to break out of the cycle", specify "We need to "break out of the cycle of poverty"" for better clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "break out of the cycle" functions as an idiomatic expression that acts as a verb phrase. It describes the action of escaping or disrupting a repetitive and often undesirable pattern. Ludwig confirms that it's grammatically correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Academia

25%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Science

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "break out of the cycle" is a versatile and widely used idiom that signifies escaping a repetitive, often negative, pattern. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically sound and appears frequently in diverse contexts ranging from news and media to academia and formal business settings. The phrase conveys a sense of hope and motivation for change, encouraging the disruption of undesirable routines. Effective use involves clearly defining the specific cycle to avoid ambiguity and following with actionable steps. Alternatives like "escape the pattern" or "transcend the routine" offer nuanced ways to express similar concepts. Therefore, understanding these suggestions can increase the precision in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

escape the pattern

Focuses on avoiding a recurring set of actions or events.

transcend the routine

Implies rising above mundane or habitual actions.

overcome the repetition

Highlights conquering the state of doing something again.

break free from the mold

Suggests departing from a standard or expectation.

defy the status quo

Emphasizes challenging current conditions or norms.

step outside the box

Implies thinking creatively and differently.

rise above the ordinary

Focuses on excelling beyond common expectations.

rebel against the system

Highlights fighting against an established order.

diverge from the norm

Suggests taking a different path than what is typical.

innovate beyond tradition

Implies creating something new that moves beyond established customs.

FAQs

How can I use "break out of the cycle" in a sentence?

Use "break out of the cycle" to describe escaping a repetitive and often negative pattern. For example, "To improve our productivity, we need to "break out of the cycle of procrastination" and start taking action".

What does it mean to "break out of the cycle"?

To "break out of the cycle" means to escape or end a recurring, often undesirable pattern of behavior or circumstances. It implies making a change to stop the repetition.

What can I say instead of "break out of the cycle"?

Alternatives include "escape the pattern", "transcend the routine", or "overcome the repetition", depending on the specific context and nuance you want to convey.

Is "break out of the cycle" formal or informal?

"Break out of the cycle" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Its appropriateness depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and tone rather than the phrase itself.