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.

---

confluence British  

/ ˈkɒnflʊəns, ˈkɒnflʌks /

noun

1. a merging or flowing together, esp of rivers

2. a gathering together, esp of people

---

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.

---

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

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

But in Mark Oppenheimer’s “Judy Blume: A Life,” her meteoric rise appears fueled by a confluence of fortune that would have been unlikely at any other moment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

“A confluence of headwinds—even if each individually is not strong enough to turn the cycle—can take a sluggish economy and make it a recessionary one.”

From Barron's • Mar. 11, 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

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

Related Words

• assemblage
• junction