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Synonyms

outflow

American  
[aut-floh] / ˈaʊtˌfloʊ /

noun

  1. the act of flowing out.

    We need flood control to stem the river's outflow.

  2. something that flows out.

    to measure the outflow in gallons per minute.

  3. any outward movement.

    the annual outflow of tourists.


outflow British  
/ ˈaʊtˌfləʊ /

noun

  1. anything that flows out, such as liquid, money, ideas, etc

  2. the amount that flows out

  3. the act or process of flowing out

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of outflow

First recorded in 1790–1800; out- + flow


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.

See Examples For:

Wendy Edelberg, an economist at the Brookings Institution, thinks there was a net outflow of immigrants from the U.S. in 2025 that is continuing this year.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026

In 2024, a new board of directors at Windrush found "the company's current financial position has been compromised through an outflow of funds to former directors and companies under their control".

From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026

Scientists do not yet know how a dead star without a disc could sustain such an outflow for so long, although the system's magnetic field may provide an important clue.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 25, 2026

An outflow of $201.9 million was recorded for bitcoin ETFs on Aug. 28, breaking a two-week streak of inflows into those ETFs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026

That was the beginning of an outflow of talent from the Rad Lab.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

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