circulate

circulate — verb

1. When a liquid or gas moves steadily through a space or a closed system — for exa

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

When a liquid or gas moves steadily through a space or a closed system — for example, warm air travelling through a building's heating ducts, or blood flowing around the body.

Example

Warm water circulates through the pipes to heat the whole house.

circulates through [system] — preposition pattern

The ceiling fan helps the air circulate around the small bedroom.

help + object + infinitive: help the air circulate

Common collocations
  • circulate freely
  • circulate through pipes
  • blood circulates
  • air circulates
  • water circulates
Synonyms
  • flow

    more general; does not imply a closed system or return to a starting point

  • move around

    less formal and less precise than 'circulate'

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

circulate through/around something

circulate something through/in something

Usage Note

Frequently used with prepositions like 'through', 'around', and 'in'. Common in technical contexts such as heating, plumbing, and biology (blood circulation).

Common Mistakes

The heart circulates the blood to go around the body.
The heart circulates blood around the body.
'circulate' already implies the movement; adding 'to go' is redundant.

2. When a piece of news, a rumour, a story, or an idea travels through a group of p

2.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

When a piece of news, a rumour, a story, or an idea travels through a group of people and gradually reaches a large number of them.

Example

A rumour about the factory closure began to circulate among the workers.

circulate among [group] — passive spread pattern

The video of the stray dog's rescue quickly circulated across social media.

quickly circulate across [platform] — speed + medium

Common collocations
  • rumour circulates
  • news circulates
  • circulate widely
  • circulate among staff
  • circulate a story
Synonyms
  • spread

    more general; can describe both intentional and unintentional diffusion

  • go around

    informal; often used for rumours or jokes in casual speech

  • get out

    informal; implies that information was meant to be kept secret

Antonyms
  • suppress

    to stop information from becoming known

Grammar Patterns

circulate among/between people

circulate something to somebody

circulate that...

Usage Note

Often used for rumours, unofficial news, or information that spreads without a clear source. The transitive form implies someone actively passed it on.

Common Mistakes

The news circulated around quickly.
The news circulated quickly.
'around' is redundant; 'circulate' already implies movement from person to person.

3. To send a document, a piece of information, or an item to every person in a part

3.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

To send a document, a piece of information, or an item to every person in a particular group — for example, emailing a report to all team members or passing a notice around an office.

Example

The principal circulated the exam schedule to all teachers by Monday morning.

formal: circulated [document] to [group] by [deadline]

Please circulate the updated policy to every department before the end of the week.

imperative: please + circulate + object + to [recipient]

Common collocations
  • circulate a memo
  • circulate documents
  • circulate a list
  • circulate a report
  • circulate to members
Synonyms
  • distribute

    more general; can include physical and digital delivery, and may not require each person to see the item

  • send around

    informal; common in office talk

  • pass around

    implies the item goes from person to person physically

Grammar Patterns

circulate something to somebody

circulate something among somebody

Usage Note

Mostly used in workplace, academic, or official contexts. The focus is on the sender's deliberate action of ensuring everyone receives the material.

Common Mistakes

I circulated the whole team the memo.
I circulated the memo to the whole team.
'circulate' cannot take an indirect object without 'to'.

4. To walk around a social gathering and have brief conversations with many differe

4.verbintransitiveB1
Definition

To walk around a social gathering and have brief conversations with many different people you meet there — for example, chatting with various guests at a wedding reception or conference dinner.

Example

At the wedding reception, Priya circulated among the tables and chatted with each family.

circulated among [group] — social context pattern

The host spent the whole evening circulating and making sure no guest felt left out.

spend time + circulating — continuous activity pattern

Common collocations
  • circulate among guests
  • circulate at a party
  • circulate through the room
Synonyms
  • mingle

    more common in everyday speech; focuses on talking and interacting rather than physical movement

  • socialise

    broader; does not specifically imply moving from person to person

Grammar Patterns

circulate among guests/people

circulate at a party/event

Usage Note

Always intransitive. Used exclusively in social settings such as parties, galas, conferences, and receptions. More specific than 'socialise' because it implies moving between people rather than staying in one spot.

Common Mistakes

He circulated the room.
He circulated around the room.' or 'He circulated among the guests.
when talking about social mingling, 'circulate' needs a preposition like 'among' or 'around'.

Word family

  • circulation
    nounB2
  • circulatory
    adjectiveC1
  • circulating
    adjectiveB2
  • recirculate
    verbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/2

Sense 2 of 'circulate' describes information passing naturally from person to person. 'Spread' is the broadest synonym and can describe anything from a disease to an idea, often with no implication of a return movement. 'Distribute' differs in being deliberate and directional — someone actively hands things out, whereas 'circulate' can be uncontrolled. 'Pass around' is an informal phrasal verb used for physical objects or stories in small groups ('She passed the photos around the table'). 'Get around' is highly informal and suggests that news eventually reaches many people despite barriers ('Word got around that the café was closing'). In formal writing, 'circulate' is preferred for official information; in casual conversation, 'go around' or 'spread' sound more natural.

spread ↗distribute ↗pass around ↗get around

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • circulate freely
  • circulate widely
  • in circulation
  • out of circulation

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

'Circulate' comes from the Latin word 'circulatus', meaning 'to form a circle', which itself comes from 'circulus' ('small ring'). It entered English in the late 1400s, first used literally for liquids and air moving in a loop, and later extended to abstract ideas, information, and social movement.