circulate
verb (used without object)
to move in a circle or circuit; move or pass through a circuit back to the starting point.
was circulating
-
past progressiveof circulate.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
The outbreak, which experts suspect was circulating under the radar for some time, is caused by the less common Bundibugyo strain, for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments.
From Barron's ● May 23, 2026
“Misinformation was circulating that conflated these parking lot safety measures with immigration enforcement. That is false,” she wrote in an email.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 6, 2026
She said this year's flu jab was not proving to be as effective as hoped due to a new mutation that was circulating.
From BBC ● Dec. 2, 2025
At the same time as the second memo was circulating, howevver, officials were reporting that Medicaid portals had in fact shut down in all 50 states.
From Salon ● Jan. 28, 2025
But in the crucible of the moment, another quite plausible definition of leadership was circulating in the upper reaches of the government.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
