confluence

American  

[kon-floo-uhns] / ˈkɒn flu əns /

Also conflux

noun

1. a flowing together of two or more streams, rivers, or the like.

   the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.

2. their place of junction.

   St. Louis is at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.

3. a body of water formed by the flowing together of two or more streams, rivers, or the like.

4. a coming together of people or things; concourse.

   Synonyms:

   meeting, union

5. a crowd or throng; assemblage.

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confluence British  

/ ˈkɒnflʊəns, ˈkɒnflʌks /

noun

1. a merging or flowing together, esp of rivers

2. a gathering together, esp of people

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confluence Scientific  

/ kŏn′flo̅o̅-əns /

1. A flowing together of two or more streams or two or more glaciers.

2. The point of juncture of such streams or glaciers.

3. The combined stream or glacier formed by this juncture.

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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” ( 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.

Example Sentences

A report released this week by JP Morgan’s strategic research team highlighted a confluence of factors related to AI that risk widening gender gaps and could dent the promise of AI.

From Barron's • Mar. 22, 2026

The confluence of these three developments — oil above $100 a barrel, a 2-year yield above the fed funds rate, and a bear-steepening dynamic in the bond market — is making some investors nervous.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 19, 2026

She has since chalked it up to a confluence of factors, from weather to Covid to the strangeness of competing in China, far away from the World Cup circuit.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026

While apart, their working lives — his at sea, hers on land — speak to a confluence of the elemental and the man-made.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2026

Eventually we found a suitable spot, still in Chryse but far from the confluence of the four ancient channels.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Related Words

• assemblage
• junction