circulate
verb
cir·cu·late
ˈsər-kyə-ˌlāt 
circulated; circulating
1
2
: to pass from person to person or place to place: such as
a
: to flow without obstruction
b
: to become well-known or widespread
rumors circulated through the town
c
: to go from group to group at a social gathering
d
: to come into the hands of readers
specifically
: to become sold or distributed
: to cause to circulate
Examples of circulate in a Sentence
Blood circulates through the body.
Steam circulates in the pipes.
A pump circulates the water through the filter.
Rumors are circulating around town.
The report circulated among the students.
Stories were circulated about mismanagement.
He is circulating a petition asking for a new election.
She circulated among her guests.
Recent Examples on the Web
Acts can become the butt of jokes, as screenshots showing large patches of empty seats or bottom-of-the-barrel ticket prices circulate on social media.
—
Elias Leight, Billboard, 22 Apr. 2024
The virus, known as Type A H5N1, which typically circulates among poultry and wild birds, has spread to mammals, including cows, cats and at least two people in the U.S. in recent years.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
Videos circulating on social media showed the man lying on the ground on fire as smoke billowed near the Manhattan courthouse, which already had a heavy police presence due to the high profile nature of the trial taking place.
—Nik Popli, TIME, 19 Apr. 2024
According to witness accounts in a video circulating on social media, Holmes fired shots as the man allegedly tried to rob a woman and her child while wielding a knife.
—The Courier-Journal, 19 Apr. 2024
But rumors have circulated online about possible friction between the two in the past.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 18 Apr. 2024
But by Monday, rumors began circulating at her school, and police started investigating the case more seriously.
—Jessica Sager, Peoplemag, 17 Apr. 2024
In October, the chair and ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) circulated, but did not formally introduce, a draft of the NO FAKES Act.
—Paul Sweeting, Variety, 17 Apr. 2024
Along with special collections, this mint in the Colorado capital produces circulating coins used in everyday transactions.
—Sarah Matusek, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Apr. 2024
Elias Leight, Billboard, 22 Apr. 2024
The virus, known as Type A H5N1, which typically circulates among poultry and wild birds, has spread to mammals, including cows, cats and at least two people in the U.S. in recent years.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 19 Apr. 2024
Videos circulating on social media showed the man lying on the ground on fire as smoke billowed near the Manhattan courthouse, which already had a heavy police presence due to the high profile nature of the trial taking place.
—Nik Popli, TIME, 19 Apr. 2024
According to witness accounts in a video circulating on social media, Holmes fired shots as the man allegedly tried to rob a woman and her child while wielding a knife.
—The Courier-Journal, 19 Apr. 2024
But rumors have circulated online about possible friction between the two in the past.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 18 Apr. 2024
But by Monday, rumors began circulating at her school, and police started investigating the case more seriously.
—Jessica Sager, Peoplemag, 17 Apr. 2024
In October, the chair and ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) circulated, but did not formally introduce, a draft of the NO FAKES Act.
—Paul Sweeting, Variety, 17 Apr. 2024
Along with special collections, this mint in the Colorado capital produces circulating coins used in everyday transactions.
—Sarah Matusek, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'circulate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near circulate
Cite this Entry
“Circulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/circulate. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
circulate
verb
cir·cu·late
ˈsər-kyə-ˌlāt
circulated; circulating
1
: to move or cause to move in a circle or course
especially
: to follow a course that returns to the starting point
blood circulates through the body
2
: to pass or be passed from person to person or place to place
circulate a rumor
Medical Definition
circulate
intransitive verb
cir·cu·late
ˈsər-kyə-ˌlāt
circulated; circulating
: to flow or be propelled naturally through a closed system of channels (as blood vessels)
blood circulates through the body
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