self-reinforcing
adjective
self-re·in·forc·ing
ˌself-ˌrē-ən-ˈfȯr-siŋ 
: tending or serving to strengthen itself : reinforcing itself
According to this thinking, a self-reinforcing feedback loop—bigger brains, better tools, more food—drove forward the process of human evolution.—
Michael Rothschild
Michael RothschildJust as many negative behaviors are self-reinforcing, we often view related positive behaviors as more trouble than they're worth.—Colleen Dunn Bates
Colleen Dunn BatesExamples of self-reinforcing in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ramp is executing a similar playbook and scaling rapidly with an ever-growing (and self-reinforcing) product suite.
—Alex Lazarow, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
One can reason through the sort of self-reinforcing feedback loop this establishes.
—Sal Rodriguez, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026
In this way, inflation can become self-reinforcing.
—Raghuram Rajan, Time, 23 Jan. 2026
Such a scenario would likely cause unemployment to spike and business closures to multiply, creating a self-reinforcing depression.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026
The securitization cycle has placed Iran, the region, and NATO countries, particularly the United States, in a complex and self-reinforcing predicament.
—Mohammad Javad Zarif, Foreign Affairs, 22 Dec. 2025
Scientists warn that massive, self-reinforcing changes could be set off, having devastating impacts around the world.
—Rebecca Hersher, NPR, 19 Nov. 2025
But if businesses start to increase layoffs, then that'll set off a kind of self-reinforcing vicious cycle—layoffs, less spending, less spending, more layoffs.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Together, the Holocaust and Israel provided a self-reinforcing narrative of Jewish history, Jewish identity, and Jewish destiny.
—Daniel May, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
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Alex Lazarow, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
One can reason through the sort of self-reinforcing feedback loop this establishes.
—Sal Rodriguez, Oc Register, 23 Jan. 2026
In this way, inflation can become self-reinforcing.
—Raghuram Rajan, Time, 23 Jan. 2026
Such a scenario would likely cause unemployment to spike and business closures to multiply, creating a self-reinforcing depression.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026
The securitization cycle has placed Iran, the region, and NATO countries, particularly the United States, in a complex and self-reinforcing predicament.
—Mohammad Javad Zarif, Foreign Affairs, 22 Dec. 2025
Scientists warn that massive, self-reinforcing changes could be set off, having devastating impacts around the world.
—Rebecca Hersher, NPR, 19 Nov. 2025
But if businesses start to increase layoffs, then that'll set off a kind of self-reinforcing vicious cycle—layoffs, less spending, less spending, more layoffs.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Together, the Holocaust and Israel provided a self-reinforcing narrative of Jewish history, Jewish identity, and Jewish destiny.
—Daniel May, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-reinforcing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-reinforcing. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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