confluence
Americannoun
-
a flowing together of two or more streams, rivers, or the like.
the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.
-
their place of junction.
St. Louis is at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.
-
a body of water formed by the flowing together of two or more streams, rivers, or the like.
-
a coming together of people or things; concourse.
-
a crowd or throng; assemblage.
noun
-
a merging or flowing together, esp of rivers
-
a gathering together, esp of people
-
A flowing together of two or more streams or two or more glaciers.
-
The point of juncture of such streams or glaciers.
-
The combined stream or glacier formed by this juncture.
Etymology
Origin of confluence
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Middle French, from Late Latin confluentia, from Latin confluent-, stem of confluēns “flowing together” ( see confluent) + -ia -ia
Explanation
Confluence means a flowing together. In a literal sense, it's about rivers. But it's more often used to talk about the coming together of factors or ideas, or of cultures in a diverse city. Con- means "with," and -fluence sounds like "flow." When things come together like rivers do, flowing from entirely different places, you call that a confluence. If the senior class needs to raise money for a class trip, and the drama club is looking for someone to do concessions during intermission at the school play, that's a confluence of factors.
Vocabulary lists containing confluence
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 SAT words Beginning with "C"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
com-, con-
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A confluence of circumstances plays a role in the numbers, but let’s set aside the total and look at the quality.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
"Today's rally is being driven by a genuine confluence of positive catalysts rather than any single headline," Dilin Wu, research strategist at Pepperstone, told AFP.
From Barron's • May 21, 2026
The reason is a confluence of advances in medical, logistical, and communication technology.
From Slate • May 18, 2026
It's a confluence of factors starting with consultants often inaccurately projecting potential demand, says Verma.
From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026
It was near dark when they reached it, at the cross-roads north of the great confluence of the Trident.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
