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

This system came under strain in the 1960s “when the volume of U.S. dollars in circulation exceeded domestic gold reserves redeemable at fixed value, leading to periodic runs on the dollar in foreign exchange.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 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

There are just over 20 million bitcoin in circulation, out of a fixed cap of 21 million.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

Some notes were never in circulation, and police have the serial numbers.

From BBC • Feb. 21, 2026

Thus the number of apostrophes in circulation remains constant, even if this means we have double the reason to go and bang our heads against a wall.

From "Eats, Shoots & Leaves" by Author

Related Words

• modern
• ongoing
• present
• prevailing