1
as in disseminating
to cause to be known over a considerable area or by many people
circulate the plans for the new stadium around town to get people's reaction
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in whispering
to make (as a piece of information) the subject of common talk without any authority or confirmation of accuracy
circulated a rumor that someone was about to be fired
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in spreading
to become known
the prince denies the story about an extramarital affair that's been circulating in the tabloids
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of circulating
In addition, for almost two years, his wife, Deltah, drove Henard to Childress every Tuesday for infusions of Keytruda, an immune checkpoint inhibitor used to prevent recurrence of disease by attacking stray cancer cells that may still be circulating in the body.
—
Caleb Hellerman, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2026
Posts circulating from activists associated with the Denver chapter of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization included imagery referencing the Red Army Choir, Soviet symbolism and historical figures including Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong.
—Asra Q. Nomani, FOXNews.com, 28 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, at least seven bridges over the Litani, linking the south to the rest of the country, appear to have been struck by Israeli forces over the past month, according to satellite imagery and photos circulating on social media.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
The video of Thune circulating on social media comes as congressional conservatives and the House Freedom Caucus criticized the Senate for the deal made early Friday, while calling for the inclusion of ICE and Customs and Border Protection funding in the DHS package and the SAVE America Act.
—Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 27 Mar. 2026
Every year, scientists try to predict months in advance which strains will be circulating in the coming flu and COVID-19 season.
—Dallas Morning News, 27 Mar. 2026
One of her most iconic facial expressions in the film is already circulating as a reaction meme online.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
The other would be a controversial and temporary addition to circulating currency, meant to celebrate the nation's 250th birthday.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 22 Mar. 2026
Some remedies for allergy relief that have been circulating on social media or suggested by celebrities — like incorporating local honey into your diet to expose yourself to pollen — have been debunked.
—Kenya Hunter, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Caleb Hellerman, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2026
Posts circulating from activists associated with the Denver chapter of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization included imagery referencing the Red Army Choir, Soviet symbolism and historical figures including Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong.
—Asra Q. Nomani, FOXNews.com, 28 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, at least seven bridges over the Litani, linking the south to the rest of the country, appear to have been struck by Israeli forces over the past month, according to satellite imagery and photos circulating on social media.
—Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
The video of Thune circulating on social media comes as congressional conservatives and the House Freedom Caucus criticized the Senate for the deal made early Friday, while calling for the inclusion of ICE and Customs and Border Protection funding in the DHS package and the SAVE America Act.
—Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 27 Mar. 2026
Every year, scientists try to predict months in advance which strains will be circulating in the coming flu and COVID-19 season.
—Dallas Morning News, 27 Mar. 2026
One of her most iconic facial expressions in the film is already circulating as a reaction meme online.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026
The other would be a controversial and temporary addition to circulating currency, meant to celebrate the nation's 250th birthday.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 22 Mar. 2026
Some remedies for allergy relief that have been circulating on social media or suggested by celebrities — like incorporating local honey into your diet to expose yourself to pollen — have been debunked.
—Kenya Hunter, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for circulating
Verb
-
Printmaking and protest Printmaking was one early means of disseminating dissent, said Allison Rudnick, a curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
-
No one thought to use it for disseminating knowledge.—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Through the echo of the old story whispering from the walls.—
JD Barker,
Rolling Stone,
25 Mar. 2026
-
There’s John Waters whispering sweet nothings into Kim Kardashian’s ear.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Firefighters were able to contain the fire to a single bus, preventing it from spreading to nearby vehicles.—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Saturday — the peak day for Easter egg hunts — will see thunderstorms spreading from the southern Plains into the Ohio Valley.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That means that winemakers across what is now France must have switched from domesticating wild grapes to propagating them directly—that is, cloning grapevines by taking cuttings of the plants to start new groves.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Here are two simple methods for propagating ZZ plants.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Actor Todd Bridges has officially filed for divorce from his wife of three months after revealing their split.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
More than three decades later, Stiller revisits the sport with the docuseries that follows five bowlers on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour, revealing the realities of life on the road.—
Alexandra Schonfeld,
PEOPLE,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The hackers never demanded a ransom, suggesting they were motivated by destruction and chaos, not profit.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
The most damaging incident for Meta occurred in 2021, when Haugen, a former Facebook product manager turned whistleblower, leaked a trove of documents suggesting the company knew of the potential harms of its products.—
Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Hospital executives are hinting of a second wave of layoffs as some downsize their operations while the federal government continues to close the funding spigot for health care programs in phases over the next several years.—
Pat Maio,
Oc Register,
22 Mar. 2026
-
Meanwhile, wildly popular Korean fragrance label Nonfiction has officially made its way stateside, hinting that K-beauty’s influence may soon extend well beyond skincare and into the perfume aisle.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Circulating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/circulating. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
