afloat
adjective or adverb
1
a
: borne on or as if on the water
b
: being at sea
2
: free of difficulties : self-sufficient
the inheritance kept them afloat for years
3
a
: circulating about
Silly rumors were afloat.
b
: adrift
Examples of afloat in a Sentence
the boat can't stay afloat much longer
Recent Examples on the Web
That gives the nonprofits time to secure other funding streams to stay afloat.
—
Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 4 Dec. 2025
In response, some restaurateurs are getting creative to stay afloat.
—Patricia Kaowthumrong, Denver Post, 2 Dec. 2025
These are the records that best balanced my humors and kept me afloat.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Many local businesses rely on the holidays to drive their revenue for the year, but a surge in online shopping over recent years has led some business owners to struggle to stay afloat.
—Hannah Elsmore, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Nov. 2025
Defense, once again, kept Mizzou afloat As has been the case all year, this defense has been something special for the Tigers.
—Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 30 Nov. 2025
Meanwhile, nurturing the state's youngest citizens remains a burden for child care providers like Keyes, who is having a hard time keeping her center financially afloat.
—Sophia Paffenroth Mississippi Today, Arkansas Online, 23 Nov. 2025
The findings reveal a surprising sense of economic anxiety, with 64% of six-figure earners saying their income isn’t a milestone for success but merely the bare minimum for staying afloat.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 23 Nov. 2025
Leasing land for turbines or solar panels brought in tens of thousands of dollars a year and kept many family farms afloat.
—Kee Hyun Park, The Conversation, 20 Nov. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 4 Dec. 2025
In response, some restaurateurs are getting creative to stay afloat.
—Patricia Kaowthumrong, Denver Post, 2 Dec. 2025
These are the records that best balanced my humors and kept me afloat.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Many local businesses rely on the holidays to drive their revenue for the year, but a surge in online shopping over recent years has led some business owners to struggle to stay afloat.
—Hannah Elsmore, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Nov. 2025
Defense, once again, kept Mizzou afloat As has been the case all year, this defense has been something special for the Tigers.
—Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 30 Nov. 2025
Meanwhile, nurturing the state's youngest citizens remains a burden for child care providers like Keyes, who is having a hard time keeping her center financially afloat.
—Sophia Paffenroth Mississippi Today, Arkansas Online, 23 Nov. 2025
The findings reveal a surprising sense of economic anxiety, with 64% of six-figure earners saying their income isn’t a milestone for success but merely the bare minimum for staying afloat.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 23 Nov. 2025
Leasing land for turbines or solar panels brought in tens of thousands of dollars a year and kept many family farms afloat.
—Kee Hyun Park, The Conversation, 20 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Afloat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/afloat. Accessed 6 Dec. 2025.
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