feedback loop
Say it: FEED-bak loop /ˈfiːdbak luːp/ · noun
What “feedback loop” means
When a result feeds back to change what happens next.
More precisely: A process where a system's output feeds back in, either amplifying or dampening it.
Example: “Poor sleep makes you stressed, and stress ruins sleep — a vicious feedback loop.”
When to use it
In science or everyday explanations, for a cycle whose results strengthen or weaken the process that produced them.
Similar words
cycle, circular process, self-reinforcing loop
Quick check
A microphone picks up its speaker's sound, amplifies it, then picks it up again, making a growing squeal. That's…
a chain reaction or a feedback loop?
Show the answer
a feedback loop
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