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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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
National Geographic, 19 Nov. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confluent
tributary
Noun
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The Winneshiek County dairy with about 330 head of dairy cattle has been cited for two previous fish kill incidents, where manure leaked from the operation into a tributary of Dry Run Creek.—
Cami Koons,
Iowa Capital Dispatch,
10 Feb. 2026
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Many Maryland watermen have been stuck on land for weeks because parts of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries remain frozen over, leaving some oystermen out of work during peak season.—
Caroline Foreback,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Confluent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confluent. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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