Snowballing

Snowballing describes a process where a small initial action or situation grows and accelerates rapidly, accumulating more elements as it progresses, becoming increasingly significant or difficult to control. This escalating effect is often associated with positive or negative consequences, involving compounding growth. The process is analogous to a snowball rolling downhill, gathering more snow and increasing in size and speed. The term can apply to various domains including finance, politics, social movements, and personal experiences.

Snowballing meaning with examples

• 1. The company's initial investment in marketing was small, but the positive response from customers quickly led to snowballing sales and increased market share. Word-of-mouth spread, and the effect grew at an exponential rate.
• 2. A small disagreement between two countries *snowballed* into a full-blown trade war, as each side imposed retaliatory tariffs, escalating economic and political tensions.
• 3. His debt *snowballed* after a period of unemployment. Interest charges and late fees accrued rapidly, making it increasingly difficult to manage his finances.
• 4. The success of the first protest *snowballed*, with more and more people joining each day, demanding change. This quickly brought a response from government.
• 5. A small lie she told to protect a friend *snowballed* into a tangled web of deception. Each new lie was necessary to cover up the previous ones, making things so much worse.