recirculate

verb

re·​cir·​cu·​late (ˌ)rē-ˈsər-kyə-ˌlāt 

recirculated; recirculating; recirculates

transitive + intransitive

1

: to circulate or cause to circulate again

According to the organization, between two and four times more money recirculates in the local community when people shop at small businesses.

—Christina Hepner

The system will recirculate 99 percent of the water that enters the tanks …

—Nick McCrea

2

: to circulate continuously

Along a slope, a peaceful water feature surrounded by rocks offers the tranquil sounds of water recirculating between two ponds.

—Kelli Adanick

He uses an American Hydroponics system that recirculates water and nutrients through the plants' root systems, allowing them to grow without soil.

—Alana Melanson

Examples of recirculate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Unlike homes, offices typically recirculate the same air for long periods, often with humidity levels as low as 20–30 percent and carbon dioxide readings between 800 and 1,200 ppm. —Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026

Residents can also reduce their exposure to smoke by setting their car vent systems to recirculate to prevent outside air from moving inside. —Bay City News Service, Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2026

Lindelof’s comment was recirculated with some fans growing suspicious that the show wouldn’t be faithful to its source material. —James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 17 Mar. 2026

Residents are asked to only wash vehicles at commercial car washes that recirculate water. —Claire Osborn, Austin American Statesman, 11 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1716, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for recirculate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate