in circulation

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.

Example Sentences

Until recently, there were few pictures of him in circulation.

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The government estimates that 300 billion pennies are in circulation.

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The coins will remain in circulation but the phase-out has already prompted businesses to start adjusting prices, as they say pennies are becoming harder to find.

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The Treasury Department estimates that about 300 billion of the coins will remain in circulation, "far exceeding the amount needed for commerce".

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About 60% of all coins in circulation in the US - or about $60-$90 for the typical household - sits stashed at home in piggy banks, deemed not worth trading in, according to a 2022 government analysis.

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Related Words

• modern 
• ongoing 
• present 
• prevailing