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

They remain legal tender but not in circulation, as they are largely kept by private currency collectors.

From BBC • May 28, 2026

Animals traded through global wildlife markets are far more likely to carry diseases that can infect humans, and the risk grows the longer those species remain in circulation, according to a new study.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

Department of State, there are roughly 183 million passports in circulation as of 2025.

From Salon • Mar. 18, 2026

Banknotes with the late Queen Elizabeth II also remain in circulation.

From Barron's • Mar. 12, 2026

And dollar bills that were backed by the gold standard, which were no longer in circulation, had been found mixed in.

From Nazi Saboteurs by Samantha Seiple

Related Words

• modern
• ongoing
• present
• prevailing