in circulation

Idioms  

1. Also, into circulation. In business or social life, especially after a period of absence. For example, After a month in the hospital Bill was eager to get back in circulation. The antonym is out of circulation, as in Since we had twins we've been out of circulation, but we're hoping to get out more often soon. These expressions, dating from the first half of the 1900s, employ circulation in the sense of “making the rounds among people,” a usage dating from the 1600s.

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Example Sentences

Many people in South Africa own licensed firearms for personal protection, but there are many more illegal guns in circulation.

From BBC

There are about three million legally held firearms in South Africa, but there are at least the same number of unlicensed weapons in circulation in the country, which has a population of 63 million, according to statistics cited by Gideon Joubert from the South African Gunowners' Association.

From BBC

Wood’s research has led him to the conclusion that as much as 20-50% of all bitcoins in circulation, especially the oldest ones, could be vulnerable to theft and/or compromise.

From MarketWatch

“We know that we have a mutation ... which may make the flu vaccine work less well. But the vaccine still offers excellent protection against hospitalization and death, even with the mutated strain in circulation.”

From Los Angeles Times

The phrase has been in circulation for decades, used most prominently by Ronald Reagan during his presidency.

From Salon

Related Words

• modern
• ongoing
• present
• prevailing