What Is Another Way to Say “What Goes Around Comes Around”?

Looking for synonyms for what goes around comes around? We’ve got you covered!

Here’s a list of other ways to say what goes around comes around.

  • Karma
  • Payback
  • You reap what you sow
  • Just desserts
  • Poetic justice
  • The wheel turns
  • As you sow, so shall you reap
  • Chickens come home to roost
  • Tit for tat
  • Boomerang effect
  • The law of cause and effect
  • Full circle
  • Turnabout
  • What you give is what you get
  • Every action has a consequence

Want to learn how to say what goes around comes around professionally? Keep reading for examples and use cases.

1. Karma

Appropriate Use: Suitable for referring to the concept of actions influencing future events.
Example: “In business, karma often plays out through the reputation you build with your actions.”

2. Payback

Appropriate Use: Ideal for a situation where one’s actions lead to reward or retribution.
Example: “The unfair treatment of employees resulted in payback when key staff members left.”

3. You reap what you sow

Appropriate Use: Used to imply that actions have consequences, good or bad.
Example: “Their investment in employee training is a case of you reap what you sow, as productivity has soared.”

4. Just desserts

Appropriate Use: Suitable for getting what one deserves, often with a sense of justice.
Example: “After years of hard work, her promotion felt like just desserts.”

5. Poetic justice

Appropriate Use: Refers to a fitting or deserved retribution for actions.
Example: “It was poetic justice when the dishonest manager was finally held accountable.”

6. The wheel turns

Appropriate Use: Ideal for conveying that situations change, often reversing over time.
Example: “In the fast-changing tech industry, the wheel turns quickly, and today’s leaders can quickly become tomorrow’s followers.”

7. As you sow, so shall you reap

Appropriate Use: Used for emphasizing that actions dictate future results.
Example: “Their focus on customer satisfaction proves the principle, ‘as you sow, so shall you reap’.”

8. Chickens come home to roost

Appropriate Use: Suitable for bad actions or mistakes catching up with someone.
Example: “The company’s neglect of environmental regulations was a case of chickens coming home to roost when they faced legal action.”

9. Tit for tat

Appropriate Use: Refers to actions giving rise to retaliation or similar treatment.
Example: “The trade war between the two countries was a tit for tat situation.”

10. Boomerang effect

Appropriate Use: Ideal for actions that return to negatively affect the initiator.
Example: “Their aggressive marketing strategies had a boomerang effect, alienating potential customers.”

11. The law of cause and effect

Appropriate Use: Used for situations where actions or decisions lead to corresponding outcomes.
Example: “In project management, the law of cause and effect is always at play.”

12. Full circle

Appropriate Use: Suitable for situations returning to their original state or point of origin.
Example: “After several mergers and acquisitions, the company’s ownership came full circle back to the founding family.”

13. Turnabout

Appropriate Use: Refers to a reversal in position or circumstances.
Example: “The sudden turnabout in market trends took many investors by surprise.”

14. What you give is what you get

Appropriate Use: Ideal for expressing that outcomes correspond to the effort or energy put in.
Example: “In customer relations, what you give is what you get.”

15. Every action has a consequence

Appropriate Use: Used for emphasizing that all actions, positive or negative, lead to results.
Example: “In environmental policy, it’s clear that every action has a consequence.”

Linda Brown