# outflow

/ˈaʊtˌfɫoʊ/ (US) · /aʊtflˈəʊ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/outflow
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. general movement outward

noun · CEFR B2

the process of something flowing or moving out of a place.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. money or capital

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

the movement of money or assets out of a country or an account.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. astronomy

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a stream of gas or material moving away from a star or the center of a galaxy.

For teachers: 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.

### 4. to move outward

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to flow or move steadily out of something.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The star's powerful outflow pushes gas into deep space.
- Astronomers observed a massive outflow of ionized gas from the center of the galaxy, likely caused by a supermassive black hole.
- The study suggests that the bipolar outflow from the young stellar object is responsible for clearing the surrounding molecular cloud, eventually halting the star's further growth.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.