to drift; to be carried away; to be swept away (by water, wind, etc.), e.g. carried out to sea or downstream.
大雨で家の前の車が川に流されるところだった。
Because of heavy rain, a car in front of the house was almost swept into the river.
木の枝やごみが海に流される。
Branches and trash are carried out to sea.
嵐で小舟が沖に流される。
A small boat is being swept out to sea by the storm.
to be overwhelmed or carried away (by emotion); to be swayed by feelings or by others' opinions.
彼は周りの雰囲気に流されることなく、自分の意見を言った。
He expressed his opinion without being swayed by the atmosphere around him.
感情に流されて冷静な判断ができなかった。
I was carried away by my emotions and couldn't make a calm decision.
多数の意見に流されるだけでは解決にならない。
Just being swayed by the majority's opinion won't solve the problem.
to be exiled or banished (e.g. sent away to an island as punishment).
かつて反逆者は島に流されることがあった。
In the past, traitors were sometimes exiled to islands.
政敵は遠くの地に流されてしまった。
The political rival was banished to a distant place.