Meaning & use
fluent
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Able to use a language easily and smoothly, without long pauses or searching for words.
Grammar: Often takes in: fluent in Spanish.
Patterns
- fluent in a language
- fluent at something
She is fluent in three languages.
After a year abroad, he became fluent in Japanese.
The interpreter was fluent and calm.
adjectivecomparableformal
Flowing in a smooth, easy, graceful way.
Grammar: Used with nouns for movement or style: a fluent stroke.
Patterns
- fluent movement
The dancer's fluent movements held the audience's attention.
He wrote in a fluent, flowing hand.
Word forms
| comparative | more fluent |
|---|---|
| superlative | most fluent |
Common combinations
- fluent English
- He speaks fluent English with a slight accent.
- fluent in
- Is she fluent in French?
- become fluent
- It took her two years to become fluent.
- near-fluent
- His Italian is near-fluent after a summer in Rome.
Synonyms and how they differ
- articulate
- Articulate describes someone who expresses ideas clearly, even in their first language, while fluent is about command of a language.
- proficient
- Proficient means skilled and competent, but not necessarily as smooth as fluent.
- eloquent
- Eloquent adds persuasive and moving expression, which goes beyond the smoothness of fluent.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: fluent or affluent?
fluent vs affluent
Affluent means wealthy, and is unrelated to speaking well.
Practice
After living in Berlin for five years, Tom is now ___ German.
Choose one answer.
Fluent is followed by in with a language. On, of and with are not used in this pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “fluent”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.