circulation
gb/sˈɚkjəlˌeɪʃən/ us/sˈɚkjəlˌeɪʃən/
B1
English
~ 7200
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
event
1
movement of blood in the body
The way blood moves again and again around the body.
Usage pattern:
[someone] has [good/poor] circulation
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse “circulation” with “blood pressure.” Circulation is about how well blood moves around the body, while blood pressure is how strong the blood pushes on the walls of the blood vessels.
Synonyms
blood flow (A more everyday term that focuses on the movement of blood, without the medical feel of “circulation.”)
Antonyms
stagnation (Describes blood not moving properly, the opposite of healthy circulation.)
Collocations
blood circulation
|poor circulation
|good circulation
|improve circulation
|circulation problems
|circulation in the legs
Themes
health
|biology
|medicine
|body
Examples
- Regular exercise can improve circulation and reduce the risk of heart disease.
- She wears compression socks because she has poor circulation in her feet.
- Smoking can seriously damage your blood circulation over time.
- The doctor checked the circulation in his arm after the injury.
- Cold weather can slow down circulation in your hands and toes.
Learner examples
- Walking every day is good for your circulation.
- My grandfather has bad circulation in his legs.
- The nurse checked his hand to make sure the circulation was okay.
- If your circulation is poor, your feet may feel very cold.
- Drinking enough water also helps your circulation.
Noun
B2
event
2
movement of air or liquid
The way air, water, or another liquid or gas moves around in a place again and again.
Usage pattern:
circulation of [air/liquid] in [a place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use only “ventilation” when they mean both fresh air entering and air moving around. “Ventilation” is about bringing in fresh air, while “circulation” is about air moving within the space.
Synonyms
flow (A more general word for movement of a liquid or gas; “circulation” suggests a repeated or system-wide movement.)
Antonyms
stagnation (Refers to air or liquid that is not moving, the opposite of healthy circulation.)
Collocations
air circulation
|good circulation of air
|water circulation
|heat circulation
|improve circulation in the room
|ventilation and circulation
Themes
science
|environment
|technology
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Open a window to improve air circulation in the room.
- The new pump increases water circulation in the aquarium.
- Poor circulation of air can cause mold to grow in the bathroom.
- The architect designed the house for natural light and good air circulation.
- Ceiling fans help with circulation of warm air in the winter.
Learner examples
- We need better air circulation in this office.
- The fan helps the circulation of air in the room.
- Bad air circulation can make people feel tired.
- There is good water circulation in this swimming pool.
- Plants grow better when the air circulation is good.
Noun
B2
event
3
spread of information or items
The way information, papers, or things go from one person to another in a group.
Usage pattern:
the circulation of [information/document/rumor]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say “the information is circulating” when they want to emphasize its general presence in a group. This is correct, but “in circulation” or “in wide circulation” is often more natural when talking about how common it is.
Synonyms
distribution (Focuses more on the act of giving or sending out, while “circulation” emphasizes ongoing movement within a group.)
Antonyms
suppression (If circulation is allowing information to spread, suppression is actively stopping it from spreading.)
Collocations
wide circulation
|in general circulation
|the circulation of a rumor
|document circulation
|internal circulation
|put into circulation
Themes
communication
|business
|society
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The memo is now in circulation among all department heads.
- The circulation of false information online can cause real harm.
- A draft version of the report is in limited circulation.
- There are several fake banknotes in circulation at the moment.
- The company stopped the circulation of the outdated safety manual.
Learner examples
- The email is now in circulation in the office.
- There was a strange story in circulation about the manager.
- Only a few copies of the plan are in circulation.
- The rumor went into wide circulation on social media.
- The bank tried to stop the circulation of fake money.
Noun
B2
quantity
4
number of copies distributed
How many copies of a newspaper or magazine are sold or given out each time.
Usage pattern:
[publication] has a circulation of [number]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse “circulation” with “edition.” An edition is a particular version of a publication, while circulation is how many copies are sold or distributed.
Synonyms
readership (Focuses on the number of readers rather than the number of printed copies, but often used similarly in media contexts.)
Antonyms
limited circulation (Describes a publication that reaches only a small number of people, the opposite of wide or mass circulation.)
Collocations
newspaper circulation
|high circulation
|mass circulation
|circulation figures
|circulation of 50,000
|circulation is falling
Themes
media
|business
|marketing
|communication
Examples
- The magazine has a monthly circulation of 200,000 copies.
- Falling circulation forced the newspaper to cut staff.
- The paper increased its circulation by redesigning its front page.
- They hope the new weekend edition will boost circulation.
- It is one of the country’s highest-circulation tabloids.
Learner examples
- The local paper has a small circulation.
- The newspaper’s circulation is going down.
- This magazine has a circulation of 50,000 every week.
- They want to increase the circulation of their online magazine.
- The chart shows the circulation of different newspapers.
Noun
B2
quantity
5
money or coins in use
The money that people are using and spending in a country at a given time.
Usage pattern:
money/coins in circulation
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use “circulation” alone, saying things like *“The circulation increased”* without context. It is more natural to say “the amount of money in circulation increased” or “cash in circulation increased.”
Synonyms
money supply (An economic term that refers more broadly to all money in the economy, while “circulation” often focuses on physical cash or its active use.)
Antonyms
withdrawal (When money or coins are removed from use, the opposite of being kept in circulation.)
Collocations
money in circulation
|coins in circulation
|banknotes in circulation
|take out of circulation
|withdraw from circulation
|put into circulation
Themes
economics
|finance
|society
|business
Examples
- The central bank announced that the old notes will be taken out of circulation next year.
- There are still many counterfeit coins in circulation.
- The total amount of cash in circulation has increased sharply.
- New two-pound coins were put into circulation last month.
- These rare coins are no longer in general circulation.
Learner examples
- These old coins are no longer in circulation.
- The bank will take these notes out of circulation soon.
- More cash went into circulation during the holiday season.
- There is a lot of fake money in circulation.
- New banknotes are now in circulation across the country.
Noun
technical
C1
action
6
borrowing activity in a library
In a library, the way books and other items are checked out and brought back, and how often this happens.
Usage pattern:
library circulation of [items]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think “circulation desk” is about air or blood, but in libraries it simply means the place where you check items in and out.
Synonyms
lending (A more general word; “circulation” is the standard technical term used in libraries.)
Antonyms
non-circulating (Describes items that cannot be borrowed, the opposite of items that are part of circulation.)
Collocations
library circulation
|circulation desk
|circulation department
|circulation statistics
|high circulation
|circulation records
Themes
education
|administration
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The library reported a 15% increase in circulation last year.
- Please return borrowed books to the circulation desk.
- Children’s books account for a large share of the library’s total circulation.
- The report analyzes circulation patterns across different subject areas.
- Due to low circulation, some journals will be moved to storage.
Learner examples
- You can borrow books at the circulation desk.
- Circulation is higher during the exam period.
- The library checks its circulation numbers every month.
- This book is for library use only and is not in circulation.
- The new novels are very popular and have high circulation.
Grammar
Dictionary form
circulation
IPA
GB/sˈɚkjəlˌeɪʃən/
US/sˈɚkjəlˌeɪʃən/
Syllables & stress
cir - cu - la - tion (4 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (cir)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: circulation
- Plural: circulation, circulations
Word family
Expressions
back in circulation
1/bˈæk ˈɪn sˈɚkjəlˌeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
available or active again
Used when something or someone becomes available or active again after some time away.
Examples
- The book is now repaired and back in circulation.
- After a few quiet years, the singer is back in circulation with a new album.
- Old £5 notes will no longer be put back in circulation.
in circulation
1/ˈɪn sˈɚkjəlˌeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
available and being used or shared
Being used, shared, or moving around among people, or in an economy or system.
Examples
- There are still a lot of old coins in circulation.
- The document is now in circulation among the board members.
- Several unconfirmed stories are already in circulation online.
mass circulation
1/mˈæs sˈɚkjəlˌeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
with very many copies sold
Used to describe newspapers or magazines that sell or give out a very large number of copies.
Examples
- It’s a mass-circulation newspaper aimed at a broad audience.
- The scandal first appeared in a mass circulation tabloid.
- Serious journalism is not limited to small papers; many mass circulation titles also do quality reporting.
out of circulation
1/ˈaʊt əv sˈɚkjəlˌeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
not available or not active
Not being used or shared anymore, or not taking part in normal social or work activities for a time.
Examples
- These notes have been out of circulation for over a decade.
- I’ve been out of circulation for a while because of my surgery.
- The book is temporarily out of circulation while it is being repaired.