1
: something that flows in: such as
a
: a tributary stream
b
: fluid input into a reservoir or process
2
: a factor modifying the balance and stability of an ecological community
Synonyms
Examples of influent in a Sentence
Noun
along with its influents, the Missouri and Ohio rivers, the Mississippi River drains all or part of 31 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces
Recent Examples on the Web
Sahana Ghosh, Quartz India, 15 Apr. 2020
The Seattle Times, 29 Apr. 2017
Adjective
The consortium intends to gauge the scale of infection in a population by collecting and examining influent samples from municipal wastewater treatment plants in several countries including in India.
—Sahana Ghosh, Quartz India, 15 Apr. 2020
Noun
The influent flow is slowed to allow human and food organic waste to settle on the bottom of the tank.
—The Seattle Times, 29 Apr. 2017
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'influent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Influent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/influent. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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