full circle
Back where started
Full circle describes a return to the starting point after a series of changes or developments.
The phrase usually carries a sense of meaningful completion rather than mere repetition: After years abroad, she came full circle and moved back to her hometown.
To come full circle or go full circle suggests that events have run their course and arrived back where they began, often with new perspective gained along the way.
Returning to one's origin
- reunionGathering after separation
- comebackRecovery after decline
- rootsUnderground nutrient absorbers
- originStarting point or source
beginning · starting point · revisit · retrace · nostalgia · revival · rebirth · renewal
Sense of emotional resolution
- culminationHighest or final point
- conclusionEnd or deduction
- resolutionFormal decision or determination
- wholenessComplete, undivided state
finale · return · ending · journey · arc · loop · coming around · wrap-up
homecoming
Returning to one's origin
origin · beginning · starting point · revisit · retrace · nostalgia · revival · rebirth · renewal · recurrence
closure
Sense of emotional resolution
- culminationHighest or final point
- conclusionEnd or deduction
- resolutionFormal decision or determination
wholeness · finale · return · ending · journey · arc · loop · coming around · wrap-up · bookend
- fairy ringsamanita
- circlesradius, circumference, pie chart, ring, disk
- cyclescycles, period, rhythms, oscillations, endless loop
- 360 thingsrevolution, 360 spin, degree measure
- math expressionsdo the math, add up, crunch numbers, number crunching, number cruncher
- anglesacute angle, angle, obtuse angle, right angle, straight angle
full circledead end
Passage without outlet
halfway · incomplete · unfinished · partial · midway
full circleunresolved
Lacking final determination
open-ended · left hanging · point of no return · loose ends · unfinished business
full circlestraight line
Undeviated continuous path
one-way · no turning back · linear progression · linear · irreversible
full, circle, cycle, bicycle, circular, recycle, circulate, tricycle, cycling