confluent

as in tributary
a stream that flows into a larger body of water several confluents slowly winding their way to the main river

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of confluent Scholars have proposed different culprits, including malignant confluent smallpox whose symptoms include not only the headache, spots, and sores but also the yellowing of the skin. National Geographic, 19 Nov. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confluent
tributary
Noun
  • Unlike flooding, other techniques (for example drip irrigation) do not cause water to overflow the field and runoff into a tributary, where the nutrient pollution enters the wider aqueous ecosystem.
    Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
  • White water rafting, kayaking and canoeing: The Trinity River, a 203-mile tributary of the Klamath River, starts in the Trinity Alps and features calm waters and multiple classes of white water.
    Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2025

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“Confluent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confluent. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

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