confluence

noun

con·flu·ence ˈkän-ˌflü-ən(t)s

kən-ˈflü-

Synonyms of confluence next

: 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

: 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

: the place of meeting of two streams

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

National Geographic

: 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

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.

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 To listen to the is to witness how a confluence of stressors — high prices, a lack of affordable housing, easy access to firearms and drugs, the ubiquity of technology — can leave a person vulnerable to another’s cruelty and manipulation. —

New York Times, 21 June 2024 The 209-acre park sits at the confluence of West Clear Creek and the Verde River. —

Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 12 June 2024 On the same day, a second man, Joseph Brown, embarked with a separate team at another confluence: the mouth of the St. Francis River. —

Boyce Upholt, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 June 2024 Pass Creek Ranch, located north of Silverthorne near the confluence of Pass Creek and the Blue River, sold for $21 million in April, according to real estate data from Land Title Guarantee Co. Jim Donlon, the ranch’s longtime owner, said the decision to sell was practical but bittersweet. —

The Summit Daily, The Denver Post, 11 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for confluence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'confluence.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see confluent entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of confluence was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Confluence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confluence. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.

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Kids Definition

confluence

noun

con·flu·ence ˈkän-ˌflü-ən(t)s

kən-ˈflü-

: a coming together to one place

: a flowing together or place of meeting especially of streams

Last Updated: 29 Jun 2024 - Updated example sentences

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confluence

noun

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Synonyms

Examples of confluence in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near confluence

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Kids Definition