flowing

/ˈfləʊ.ɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfloʊ.ɪŋ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈflō-iŋ/ (ame, mw)

flowing — adjective

  • flowingpositive
  • more flowingcomparative
  • most flowingsuperlative

1. continuing like water, with steady movement and no abrupt breaks.

1.形容詞B2
釋義

continuing like water, with steady movement and no abrupt breaks.

例句

Clear water kept flowing past the rocks after the heavy rain.

flowing water = steady movement like a stream

Traffic was flowing again once the broken truck left the bridge.

predicative use: traffic is flowing

同義詞
  • smooth

    emphasizes the absence of roughness or sudden change

  • fluid

    suggests easy movement that feels natural and liquid-like

  • steady

    focuses on movement that continues without stopping or jumping

反義詞
  • jerky

    moving with sudden stops or uneven changes

  • broken

    not continuous from one part to the next

  • blocked

    prevented from moving freely

用法筆記

Usually used for water, traffic, rivers, lines, or movement that can be seen as smooth and unbroken. Distinguish from sense 2: sense 1 is physical or visual, not about the style of speech, writing, or music.

常見錯誤

❌The meeting was flowing after lunch.
✅The discussion flowed smoothly after lunch.
💡this adjective usually describes water, traffic, or a visible line, not most events by themselves.
❌The river looked very flow today.
✅The river looked very flowing today.
💡use 'flowing' as the adjective, not the base form 'flow'.

2. having an easy, graceful style that moves naturally from one part to the next.

2.形容詞C1
釋義

having an easy, graceful style that moves naturally from one part to the next.

例句

Gabriel gave a flowing speech that held the class for ten minutes.

flowing speech = smooth, connected delivery

The band kept a flowing rhythm through the last song.

同義詞
  • smooth

    broad word for something that is easy and not awkward

  • fluent

    often used for speech, reading, or language ability

  • graceful

    adds a stronger sense of beauty or elegance

反義詞
  • choppy

    moving or sounding broken into short, uneven parts

  • stiff

    not natural or relaxed in style

用法筆記

Most common with speech, music, writing, style, or handwriting. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is about how something sounds, reads, or looks on the page, not how an object moves through space.

常見錯誤

❌Her English is flowing.
✅She speaks fluent English.
💡use 'flowing' for the style of speech or writing, not for general language ability.
❌The instructions are flowing with details.
✅The instructions read smoothly and include many details.
💡this sense describes an easy style, not simply having a lot of information.

3. long and loose, falling down in a soft, graceful way.

3.形容詞B2
釋義

long and loose, falling down in a soft, graceful way.

例句

Olivia wore a flowing blue dress to Hoa's garden wedding.

flowing dress/skirt = long, loose, graceful shape

The actor's flowing hair moved across his shoulders in the wind.

同義詞
  • loose

    focuses on not being tight against the body

  • draped

    suggests cloth hanging down in folds

  • billowy

    adds the idea of soft, full movement in air

反義詞
  • tight

    close to the body with little loose movement

  • fitted

    cut to follow the body's shape closely

用法筆記

Most often used before nouns such as hair, dress, skirt, robe, or sleeves. Distinguish from sense 1: the item may move, but the main idea here is that it hangs down loosely from the body.

常見錯誤

❌The rope was flowing across the floor.
✅The rope lay loosely across the floor.
💡this sense usually describes hair or clothing hanging down gracefully, not every long object.
❌She bought a flowing chair for the studio.
✅She bought a flowing robe for the studio scene.
💡use this sense for clothes or hair with a loose shape, not for furniture.