confluence

noun

con·​flu·​ence ˈkän-ˌflü-ən(t)s  kən-ˈflü- 

1

: a coming or flowing together, meeting, or gathering at one point

At the confluence of Native American, Hispanic, and Anglo cultures, Santa Fe is the symbolic heart of the Southwest.

—Jeffrey Steingarten

A hip urban confluence of tasting rooms, galleries, and surfboard designers, it's a place where wine, art and beach culture coalesce.

—Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Every once in a while in pop music there is a magical confluence: the right performers doing the right music with the right support.

—Ralph Novak

Italian influences have marked not only the style of architecture in Passau but also the way of life. Then, of course, Eastern Europe is next door. There are many confluences, it seems.

—N. Scott Momaday

2

a

: the flowing together of two or more streams

A complex lacework of waterways formed by the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, the delta is the state's major water source …

—Robert B. Gunnison

Confluences are a basic building block of river networks on all scales.

—Chris Paola

b

: the place of meeting of two streams

… quaint Carbondale is set at the confluence of the Crystal and Roaring Fork Rivers.

—National Geographic

c

: the stream or body formed by the junction of two or more streams : a combined flood

… and eventually chose, disastrously, the only place in Assam where it was impossible for tea to thrive, being regularly drowned by the confluence of two huge rivers, a more suitable terrain for rice.

—Christian Lamb

3

or confluency

kən-ˈflü-ən(t)-sē 

cell biology : the degree of substrate coverage that is exhibited by proliferating, adherent cells cultured in a laboratory vessel (such as a petri dish or flask)

At days 12-14, cell confluence reached 80%.

—Runguang Li et al.

The measurement of cell confluency is used to determine the growth phase of cells …

—Mee Foong et al.

also : complete coverage of a culture substrate by proliferating, adherent cells

When the cells reach confluence, they form aggregates and can be serially cultured.

—C. A. B. Jahoda et al.

Replicate dishes of pooled cells were grown to confluency and induced with Newcastle disease virus …

—Hermann Ragg and Charles Weissmann

Did you know?

The joining of rivers—as at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, where the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers flow together spectacularly—was the original meaning of confluence, and in its later meanings we still hear a strong echo of the physical merging of waters. So today we can speak of a confluence of events, a confluence of interests, a confluence of cultures, and so on, from which something important often emerges.

Synonyms of confluence

• convergence
• merging
• combination
• combining
• convergency

Examples of confluence in a Sentence

the Mississippi River's confluence with the Missouri River

a happy confluence of beautiful weather and spectacular scenery during our vacation

Recent Examples on the Web

In many instances, some traders short when long-side traders sell—when there is a confluence of activity. — David Capablanca, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Al-Qaeda arose at the confluence of post-Cold War globalization and unipolar violence. — Faisal Devji, Time, 11 Sep. 2026

Tropical storms are not necessarily unusual this time of year for Southern California, but what’s particularly striking about the flooding this week is the confluence of powerful waves on top of higher-than-high tides. — Rosanna Xia, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026

But lately, the confluence of athletes and fashion makes business sense, too, with sports offering a wider playing field for brands. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see confluent entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

confluence

noun

con·​flu·​ence ˈkän-ˌflü-ən(t)s  kən-ˈflü- 

1

: a coming together to one place

2

: a flowing together or place of meeting especially of streams