Definition of confluence
1 : a coming or flowing together, meeting, or gathering at one point a happy confluence of weather and scenery a confluence of cultures
2a : the flowing together of two or more streamsb : the place of meeting of two streams the Mississippi River's confluence with the Missouri Riverc : the combined stream formed by conjunction
From the M-W Editors
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 of confluence from the Web
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The officers and community members helped support the family of a girl who drowned in at the popular Kelley Point Park, which sits at the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette rivers.
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It would be built at the confluence of two major highways — Interstate 75 and Florida’s Turnpike — that already are frequently choked with traffic.
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It would be built at the confluence of two major highways —
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As Smith and others who watch the hog industry explain it, a confluence of factors appears to lie behind pork's growing popularity.
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The team says the dynamic arches and their confluence at the center of the roadway will make the bridge an urban focal point that looks different from every angle.
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In other words, something sparked for the IMC — a confluence of circumstance and diligence and luck, with the people coming to a site attracting more people and still more, and then, suddenly, IMC becomes important.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'confluence'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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.
Origin and Etymology of confluence
see confluent
CONFLUENCE Defined for English Language Learners
confluence
playDefinition of confluence for English Language Learners
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: a place where two rivers or streams join to become one
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: a situation in which two things come together or happen at the same time
Learn More about confluence
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See words that rhyme with confluence Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for confluence Spanish Central: Translation of confluence Nglish: Translation of confluence for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of confluence for Arabic speakers
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