What does "circulation" mean?
The act of moving in a circle, or in a course which brings the moving body to the place where its motion began.
Circulation
/ˌsɝkjʊˈleɪʃən/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of moving in a circle, or in a course which brings the moving body to the place where its motion began.
- Grammar: circulation is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: advertisement, agitating, airflow, airing.
- Useful contrasts: no energy flow, arrest, concentration.
- Usage evidence: The newspaper has a large circulation.
How to use "circulation"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "circulation" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "circulation" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "circulation" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "circulation" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "circulation" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "advertisement" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "circulation", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of moving in a circle, or in a course which brings the moving body to the place where its motion began. countable, uncountable
- 2 the spread or transmission of something (as news or money) to a wider group or area wordnet
- 3 The act of passing from place to place or person to person; free diffusion; transmission. countable, uncountable
"For example, by changing the use of existing rooms, removing or replacing unsightly features, clearing obstacles to easy circulation, rearranging direction signs and generally introducing as much order as possible, most outdated station buildings can be made reasonably efficient and attractive."
- 4 the dissemination of copies of periodicals (as newspapers or magazines) wordnet
- 5 Currency; circulating coins; notes, bills, etc., current for coin. countable, uncountable
"The new bills will come into circulation next Friday."
Show 8 more definitions
- 6 free movement or passage (as of cytoplasm within a cell or sap through a plant) wordnet
- 7 The extent to which anything circulates or is circulated; the measurement of diffusion countable, uncountable
"June 1 2016, Karen Roberts in the Evening Express, Aberdeen Journals - The Broad Street Years The reputation and circulation of the paper continued to grow, and the board decided a new custom-built base was required for both the Press and Journal and Evening Express to replace the crumbling, but much loved, Broad Street offices."
- 8 movement through a circuit; especially the movement of blood through the heart and blood vessels wordnet
- 9 The movement of the blood in the circulatory system, by which it is brought into close relations with the cells and tissues of the body; (loosely) the circulatory system. countable, uncountable
"In the dead state all is apparently without motion. No agent within indicates design, intelligence, or foresight: there is no respiration; no digestion, circulation, or nutrition; […]"
- 10 number of copies of a newspaper or magazine that are sold wordnet
- 11 The movement of the sap in the vessels and tissues of plants. countable, uncountable
- 12 (library science) the count of books that are loaned by a library over a specified period wordnet
- 13 the number of a newspaper or a magazine has been sold. countable, uncountable
"Print circulation across the top 50 US magazines fell 5% year-on-year."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"The newspaper has a large circulation."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "circulation"?
Common synonyms include: advertisement, agitating, airflow, airing, angular momentum, angular motion.
How do you use "circulation" in a sentence?
The newspaper has a large circulation.
How do you pronounce "circulation"?
Pronounced /ˌsɝkjʊˈleɪʃən/.
Etymology
From Middle English circulacioun, from Latin circulatio. Morphologically circulate + -ion.