A chicken-and-egg situation, problem, etc.

noun phrase

A situation where it is confusing to say what should happen or be done first.

We're stuck in a chicken-and-egg situation - we can't get a loan until we have a house, but we can't buy a house until we get a loan.

Idiomatic

Definition 1 of 1

Pro Tip 1/3

The phrase refers to the dilemma of which came first, the chicken or the egg, symbolizing a complex causality.

Determining whether good sales lead to good ads or vice versa is a chicken-and-egg situation.

Pro Tip 2/3

This phrase is not used to describe actual chickens or eggs; it's metaphorical for unsolvable dilemmas.

Choosing between job experience or education is often a chicken-and-egg situation for graduates.

Pro Tip 3/3

It's often used to start a discussion about complex issues with no clear starting point.

Is technology driving social change, or is it the other way around? It's a chicken-and-egg situation.

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