Synonyms

circulate

American

[sur-kyuh-layt] / ˈsɜr kjəˌleɪt /

verb (used without object)

to move in a circle or circuit; move or pass through a circuit back to the starting point.

Blood circulates throughout the body.
to pass from place to place, from person to person, etc..

She circulated among her guests.
to be distributed or sold, especially over a wide area.

Synonyms:

promulgate, lay, disperse
Library Science. (of books and other materials) to be available for borrowing by patrons of a library for a specified period of time.

verb (used with object)

to cause to pass from place to place, person to person, etc.; disseminate; distribute.

to circulate a rumor.
Library Science. to lend (books and other materials) to patrons of a library for a specified period of time.

circulate British

/ ˈsɜːkjʊˌleɪt /

verb

to send, go, or pass from place to place or person to person

don't circulate the news
to distribute or be distributed over a wide area
to move or cause to move through a circuit, system, etc, returning to the starting point

blood circulates through the body
to move in a circle

the earth circulates around the sun

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

circulate Scientific

/ sûr′kyə-lāt′ /

To move in or flow through a circle or a circuit. Blood circulates through the body as it flows out from the heart to the tissues and back again.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of circulate

1425–75 for earlier senses; 1665–75 for current senses; late Middle English < Latin circulātus (past participle of circulārī to gather round one, Medieval Latin circulāre to encircle), equivalent to circul ( us ) circle + -ātus -ate ¹

Explanation

To circulate is to move continuously in a specific circuit, often in a circle. A ceiling fan circulates cool air around the room on a warm day. Blood circulates through your body, pumped from your heart through veins and arteries — your circulatory system — and delivering oxygen to your tissues. This system is closed, meaning the blood stays in your body, bringing oxygenated blood back to your heart. People circulate when they move around a room at a party, chatting with different people, and rumors circulate when they're passed in a circle, from person to person. Circulate comes from the Latin circulare, "to form a circle."

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Vocabulary lists containing circulate

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

circulate circulates circulated circulating

Over time, these colder waters circulate southward, eventually reaching the Southern Ocean.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 28, 2026

The utility recommends setting air conditioners to 78 degrees, closing curtains during peak sun hours and using fans to circulate the air.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

Following his disappearance, a number of theories about what had happened to him began to circulate on social media.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

If foreign governments respond by restricting exports, fewer barrels will circulate through an already tight market.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026

The immediate effect is that fresh air begins to circulate in the tiny compartment.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez

RSV is a common virus that circulates every winter.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

“I don’t hear any noises,” he said, pacing a raised floor above a chamber that circulates air to cool servers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

As the warm water sits still at the top, oxygen no longer circulates to the bottom.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

Much of the interest on the internet circulates around filmmaker Kane Parsons’ viral “found footage” videos on YouTube.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026

As they mill about, a rumor circulates: a train is leaving at 10 A.M.

From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario

Blair’s rep decried reports that have circulated regarding the details of the mid-flight episode, writing to “correct the record.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026

Calls to defy the bans on protests in the city centre had circulated on social media.

From Barron's ● Oct. 24, 2026

Part of what hampered his chances of a reprieve were extracts from his diaries which were widely circulated, publicly outing him as a homosexual.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

Lighthouse investor slides that circulated in 2021, just before Cerberus invested, flagged weekly billable therapy at “30+ Hours/Client,” and noted “lifetime revenue per client” of $285,000.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

After the applause, the flutist remained on stage while Stanchion circulated in the crowd, gathering opinions.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

That volume is approximately equal to the amount of blood circulating in an adult human body.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 2, 2026

The international incident kicked off when a clip began circulating on social media of a French interviewer asking Mbappé for the funniest thing he’d seen about himself on the internet.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026

He said he also been flat out since Tuesday when the rumours of PHP hacks began circulating.

From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026

Examining this fluid can provide information about substances entering and circulating within the central nervous system.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 22, 2026

A caterer would be circulating with appetizers on silver trays while Dad hid in the kitchen to avoid socializing.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023