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fluency

/ˈfluənsi/
/ˈfluɪnsi/
IPA guide

Other forms: fluencies

Do you have a way with words? Can you speak and write easily? Then you have fluency.

Fluency is a type of smoothness used most often when talking about language. You could study a language — like Spanish — for years and not really gain fluency. To have fluency — in other words, to be fluent — takes a lot of practice. Fluency can't be achieved overnight. That kind of expert use of language takes time, and it helps if you get a chance to visit a country where they speak the language you're learning.

Definitions of fluency
  1. noun
    powerful and effective language
    fluency in spoken and written English is essential”
    synonyms: eloquence, smoothness
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    type of:
    expressive style, style
    a way of expressing something (in language or art or music etc.) that is characteristic of a particular person or group of people or period
  2. noun
    skillfulness in speaking or writing
    see moresee less
    antonyms:
    disfluency
    lack of skillfulness in speaking or writing
    type of:
    skillfulness
    the state of being cognitively skillful
  3. noun
    the quality of being facile in speech and writing
    see moresee less
    type of:
    communicativeness
    the trait of being communicative
Pronunciation
US
/ˈfluənsi/
UK
/ˈfluɪnsi/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘fluency'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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