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
Enacted in March 2020, the PPP loan program served as a financial lifeline that kept afloat millions of businesses that struggled economically in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
—
Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 15 Dec. 2025
Prosecutors say a school guidance counselor, Francisca Josefina Tavárez Vélez, did not intervene as Stephora struggled to stay afloat.
—Vera Lucia Pappaterra, Miami Herald, 15 Dec. 2025
But as Daniels battled injuries this season, the Commanders couldn’t remain afloat.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 15 Dec. 2025
As a top purchaser of Russian natural gas and oil, China has helped keep Russia’s war economy afloat.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Compared with strongholds like Disney and Universal, the amusement-park corporation has faced closures and layoffs and relied on investors such as Travis Kelce to stay afloat.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
Both Access Sacramento and the Sacramento Educational Cable Consortium leaders long awaited Thursday’s meeting to learn if their organizations could remain afloat next year.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 5 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 15 Dec. 2025
Prosecutors say a school guidance counselor, Francisca Josefina Tavárez Vélez, did not intervene as Stephora struggled to stay afloat.
—Vera Lucia Pappaterra, Miami Herald, 15 Dec. 2025
But as Daniels battled injuries this season, the Commanders couldn’t remain afloat.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 15 Dec. 2025
As a top purchaser of Russian natural gas and oil, China has helped keep Russia’s war economy afloat.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Compared with strongholds like Disney and Universal, the amusement-park corporation has faced closures and layoffs and relied on investors such as Travis Kelce to stay afloat.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
Both Access Sacramento and the Sacramento Educational Cable Consortium leaders long awaited Thursday’s meeting to learn if their organizations could remain afloat next year.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 5 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
Cite this Entry
“Afloat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/afloat. Accessed 21 Dec. 2025.
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