Hamster wheel
/ˈhæmstər wiːl/
nounB2
Definition
A hamster wheel is a round wheel that pet hamsters run on to get exercise while staying in one place. People use the phrase "hamster wheel" to talk about feeling like they are working a lot but not moving forward, like being stuck in a cycle of repeated tasks.
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See It in Action
A physical wheel for hamsters to run on for exercise
- •The hamster loves to run on its hamster wheel every day.
- •We bought a new hamster wheel because the old one was broken.
- •The wheel spins fast when the hamster runs.
A metaphor for repetitive, tiring work or life without progress
- •She felt like she was on a hamster wheel at her job, doing the same tasks every day.
- •Sometimes life feels like a hamster wheel where you keep moving but don’t get anywhere.
- •He wants to get off the hamster wheel and find a new challenge.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "hamster wheel" like "treadmill" (a machine you run on but stay in the same place), but smaller and for hamsters
- ✓Picture a small hamster running fast inside a round wheel that spins but does not take it anywhere
- ✓It feels like when you do a lot of work but still feel tired and stuck, like running but not moving forward
- ✓Sounds like "HAM-ster wheel" → imagine a little hamster spinning a wheel that never stops turning
- ✓In stories or cartoons, hamsters run on wheels for fun or exercise but don’t get anywhere, showing repetition without progress
- ✓NOT like "running outside" (which takes you somewhere), the hamster wheel keeps you in one spot
- ✓NOT like "resting" (no movement), hamster wheel means active but stuck in the same place
Try Other Words
- •Treadmill: a machine for running in place (use when talking about exercise)
- •Rat race: a busy, competitive, and tiring life (use when talking about stressful or competitive work life)
- •Vicious circle: a situation that keeps repeating and causing problems (use when talking about negative repeating situations)
- •Routine: a regular way of doing things (use when the focus is on repeated daily habits)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "hamster" (a small rodent pet) + "wheel" (a round object that turns)
- •Etymology: Combines the animal "hamster" with the object "wheel" to describe the exercise wheel for hamsters
- •Historical development: Originally a literal wheel for pet hamsters, later used as a metaphor for repetitive, unchanging activity
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe feeling stuck in repetitive work or life patterns, especially in informal speech and writing
Reflect & Connect
•How does the image of a hamster running in a wheel help you understand feelings of being stuck in daily life?
•Can you think of times when your life or work felt like a hamster wheel? What helped you get off it?
Fill in the blanks
1.When someone says they feel like they are on a hamster wheel, it means they ___ the same tasks again and again without ___ forward.
2.A hamster wheel is different from running outside because it keeps the hamster ___ in one ___.
3.People use "hamster wheel" to describe work that is ___ but does not lead to ___.
4.Unlike resting, being on a hamster wheel means you are ___ but not ___ anywhere.
5.The hamster runs fast on the wheel, but the wheel ___, so the hamster stays ___.
6.In stressful jobs, employees sometimes say they are stuck on a hamster wheel because they feel ___ and ___.
7.To get off the hamster wheel, a person might need to ___ their routine or find new ___ to break the cycle.