complete cycle

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   one full sequence of events or stages that repeats, from start to finish.

   Grammar: Countable: use 'a complete cycle' for one full sequence, or 'complete cycles' for more than one.

   Patterns

   • a complete cycle of something
   • complete a cycle
   • go through a complete cycle

   The machine performs a complete cycle every 30 minutes.

   Scientists observed a complete cycle of the disease, from infection to recovery.

   A complete cycle of the moon takes about 29.5 days.

2. 2nouncountablebiologytechnical

   in biology, a full round of a repeating life process such as cell division or reproduction.

   Grammar: Usually appears in scientific writing: 'the complete cycle of cell division'.

   Patterns

   • the complete cycle of cell division
   • a complete life cycle

   The complete cycle of cell division includes several checkpoints.

   Researchers tracked a complete cycle of the parasite in its host.

Word forms

Common combinations

a complete cycle of events

The festival follows a complete cycle of events each year.

complete a cycle

The washing machine completes a cycle in 45 minutes.

go through a complete cycle

The economy goes through a complete cycle of growth and recession.

a complete cycle of the seasons

We watched a complete cycle of the seasons in the documentary.

Synonyms and how they differ

full cycle

Very similar, but 'full' emphasizes that nothing is missing; 'complete' can also stress that the process has finished.

round

More informal and often used for a single stage in a game or meeting, not a whole repeating process.

Word family

cycle noun

a series of events that repeats

cyclic adjective

happening in cycles

cyclical adjective

happening in a regular repeating pattern

Commonly confused: complete cycle or full circle?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “complete cycle”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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