flowing
Americanadjective
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moving in or as in a stream.
flowing water.
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proceeding smoothly or easily; facile.
flowing language.
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long, smooth, graceful, and without sudden interruption or change of direction.
flowing lines; flowing gestures.
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hanging loosely at full length.
flowing hair.
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abounding; having in excess.
a land flowing with milk and honey.
Other Word Forms
- flowingly adverb
- flowingness noun
- self-flowing adjective
- unflowing adjective
Etymology
Origin of flowing
before 950; Middle English flowynge, Old English flōwende. See flow, -ing 2
Explanation
Anything flowing moves like liquid, such as the flowing water of a river or someone’s long, flowing hair. Even a conversation can be flowing if people have a lot to say to each other. The adjective flowing is useful for describing things that drape gracefully, like Rapunzel's flowing hair or Cinderella's flowing gown. The sleek and streamlined movements of a ballet dancer might also be called flowing, and so can particularly graceful writing: "The poet's flowing lines beautifully evoked a summer afternoon." Flowing comes from flow, from a root meaning "to stream, melt, or become liquid."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This was unlikely while U.S. policy was to keep Iran’s oil flowing.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
The fish suffered their latest decline during the severe 2020-22 drought, when the water flowing from dams sometimes got so warm that it was lethal for salmon eggs.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026
A stroke occurs when blood stops flowing to part of the brain, according to NHS guidance.
From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026
Each time they introduced electrons and holes, they observed a consistent electrical current flowing in the same direction, even without applying any external voltage.
From Science Daily • Apr. 10, 2026
Until Jack took a step forward, grabbed the wolf’s flowing fur cape, and yanked down with all his strength.
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
