# cyclical

/ˈsaɪkɫɪkəɫ/ (US) · /sˈaɪklɪkəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cyclical
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. recurring in cycles

adjective · CEFR B2

happening in a regular pattern that repeats over time.

For teachers: occurring in cycles or recurring at regular intervals.

- The seasons follow a cyclical pattern that farmers have relied on for centuries.
- The researcher argued that the historical data revealed a cyclical trend in climate patterns rather than a linear progression.

### 2. economic cycles

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

describes a business or industry that does well when the economy is strong and poorly when it is weak.

For teachers: relating to or affected by the economic cycle, particularly industries that fluctuate in line with GDP.

- The car industry is very cyclical because people buy fewer cars during a recession.
- Investors often rotate their portfolios into cyclical stocks when they anticipate a period of robust economic expansion.

### 3. cyclical stocks

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

shares in companies whose profits go up and down with the economy.

For teachers: securities, typically stocks, whose price is highly sensitive to macroeconomic changes.

- He decided to sell his cyclicals before the predicted economic downturn.
- The fund manager increased the weighting of cyclicals in the portfolio to capitalise on the projected rise in consumer spending.

## Examples

- The economy goes through cyclical changes every few years.
- Farmers must adapt to the cyclical nature of the seasons to ensure their crops are planted and harvested at the right time.
- Economists often debate whether the current downturn is a purely cyclical phenomenon or a structural shift that will permanently alter the labor market.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.