Word
outflow
Phoneticsout·flow, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈaʊtˌfɫoʊ/
UK/aʊtflˈəʊ/
Definitions
01general movement outward
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the process of something flowing or moving out of a place.
n. the process or act of flowing out; a steady movement of a substance or abstract entity away from a source.
“The heavy rain caused a massive outflow of water from the lake into the valley.”
“Engineers monitored the outflow from the reservoir to ensure the dam could withstand the seasonal pressure from melting snow.”
02money or capital
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Academic
n. the movement of money or assets out of a country or an account.
n. the net reduction of capital or currency from a specific economy or financial institution.
“The country is worried about the outflow of cash to foreign banks.”
“Economists warned that the sudden outflow of capital could destabilize the national currency and lead to higher interest rates.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03astronomy
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Science Technical
n. a stream of gas or material moving away from a star or the center of a galaxy.
n. a large-scale stream of gaseous material emanating from an active galactic nucleus or a young stellar object.
“Scientists used the telescope to study the gas outflow from the new star.”
“The massive galactic outflow observed by the team suggests that the central black hole is actively clearing gas from the surrounding region.”
Antonyms
04to move outward
C1 · Advanced Formal
v. to flow or move steadily out of something.
v. to move in an outward direction; used intransitively to describe the motion of fluids or gases.
“Water began to outflow from the broken pipe as soon as the pressure rose.”
“As the pressure within the chamber increased, the excess steam began to outflow through the safety valves.”
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“But the local surfers—and many famous Malibu residents— passionately opposed the plan , fearing that changes to the outflow of Malibu Creek would alter the underwater dynamics offshore and alter the waves.” “The researchers found that these large outflows can continue even when the black hole becomes extremely faint and its activity falls to levels much lower than scientists previously expected.” Etymology
From Middle English outflowen, from late Old English ūtflōwan (attested in the past tense as ūt flēow), equivalent to out- + flow. The noun is derived from the verb.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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