Meaning & use
influx
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Meanings
nounusually singular
A sudden or large arrival of people or things into a place or system.
Grammar: Normally used with an and of: an influx of visitors.
Patterns
- an influx of something
- an influx into somewhere
The town saw a huge influx of tourists in summer.
An influx of cash helped the club survive.
The clinic could not cope with the influx of patients.
noununcountabletechnical
The flowing of a liquid or gas into something, especially a body of water or a cell.
Grammar: Used in science and medicine: calcium influx.
Patterns
- influx of something
An influx of calcium triggers the muscle to contract.
The influx of fresh water changed the lake's salt level.
Heavy rain caused a rapid influx into the reservoir.
Word forms
| plural | influxes |
|---|
Common combinations
- sudden influx
- A sudden influx of orders overwhelmed the shop.
- influx of tourists
- The influx of tourists raised prices in the village.
- large influx
- A large influx of students filled the library.
- influx of cash
- An influx of cash saved the small business.
- influx of refugees
- The region faced an influx of refugees.
Synonyms and how they differ
- inflow
- Inflow is more neutral and often used for money or water, while influx suggests a crowd or a rush.
- flood
- Flood is more dramatic and suggests being overwhelmed, whereas influx can simply be large.
- arrival
- Arrival can describe one person, but influx always implies many coming together.
- surge
- Surge stresses a sudden rise in strength or number, while influx emphasizes entering from outside.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: influx or in flux? influx or inflection?
influx vs in flux
In flux means in a state of constant change; it is two words and does not mean arriving in large numbers.
influx vs inflection
Inflection is a change in tone or word form and has nothing to do with arrivals.
Practice
The festival caused an ___ of visitors, and every hotel was full.
Choose one answer.
An influx is a large arrival, which fits full hotels. An exodus is a departure, and in flux means changing.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “influx”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.