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Circulate vs Circumnavigate - What's the difference?

circulate | circumnavigate |

In lang=en terms the difference between circulate and circumnavigate

is that circulate is to cause (a person or thing) to move in circles or through a circuit while circumnavigate is to circumvent or bypass.

As verbs the difference between circulate and circumnavigate

is that circulate is to move in circles or through a circuit while circumnavigate is to travel completely around somewhere or something, especially by sail.

circulate

English

Verb

(circulat)
  • to move in circles or through a circuit
  • to cause (a person or thing) to move in circles or through a circuit
  • to move from person to person, as at a party
  • to spread or disseminate
  • to circulate money or gossip
  • to become widely known
  • Synonyms

    * put about * spread * disseminate

    circumnavigate

    English

    Verb

    (en-verb)
  • To travel completely around somewhere or something, especially by sail.
  • We circumnavigated the Mediterranean.
  • To circumvent or bypass.
  • * {{quote-news, 2006, July 9, , Magic month of memories, Times of London citation
  • , passage=Rebel of the tournament: Saudi Arabia’s Malek Al Hawsawi, who circumnavigated Fifa’s ban on jewellery by keeping his ring in his mouth.}}
  • (sailing) To sail around the world.
  • * {{quote-book, 1992, Richard Henderson, Singlehanded Sailing citation
  • , passage=Patrick Childress, who solo circumnavigated on a Catalina 27 in 1982, stresses the value of eggs, which will keep at least six weeks if previously unrefrigerated and oiled with vegetable shortening.}}
  • * {{quote-book, 1997, Diana Jessie, The Cruising Woman's Advisor citation
  • , passage=Jack and Lura Francis, both fairly tall, circumnavigated on a Westsail 32. }}
  • * {{quote-news, 2004, March 10, Edward Gorman, Van den Heede rewarded for perseverance, Times of London citation
  • , passage=Chay Blyth was the first when he circumnavigated in British Steel in 292 days in 1970 in a voyage that some predicted would end in certain death.}}

    Synonyms

    * (travel completely around) compass, go around, sail around * (circumvent) circumvent, go round