circulate
verb (used without object)
to move in a circle or circuit; move or pass through a circuit back to the starting point.
had circulated
-
past perfectof circulate.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
Their trigger was a government decision in May to void a national medical-school entrance exam after evidence emerged that its questions had circulated in advance on messaging apps.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
Allegations of inappropriate behavior by Swalwell had circulated for weeks on social media and in political circles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 11, 2026
Rumours of Hsu's death had circulated since Sunday, after a popular Facebook account published a cryptic post claiming that a 48-year-old Taiwanese celebrity had died.
From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2025
Questions about Jefferson’s relationship with Hemings had circulated among historians, and among her family, for two centuries.
From New York Times ● Apr. 6, 2024
Brian heard reports that someone had gotten permission to solicit at one of the local factories—four guys had circulated through the place and sold three hundred boxes in a couple of hours.
From "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier
