as in floating
riding upon the surface of a body of liquid
the boat can't stay afloat much longer
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in hereabouts
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of afloat
Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 7 Sep. 2025
Her husband was working two jobs at the time to keep their family in Northern Utah afloat.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
McConaughey may have had doubts at first, but Greengrass felt the actor was the only big star who could believably play a man hustling to stay afloat and keep his family together.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
With eviction just around the corner, the duo embarks on a wild hustle through Los Angeles, pulling off increasingly outrageous stunts to stay afloat — while trying to keep their friendship from going under.
—James Mercadante, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Indiana is simply trying to stay afloat without Caitlin Clark.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Government funding is set to expire in less than four weeks, and lawmakers are divided over how to keep the government afloat, even on a short-term basis.
—Erin Doherty, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
In New York City’s Chinatown in 1931, Luli Lee daydreams about dim sum and worries about her parents, who are struggling to keep the family restaurant afloat during the Great Depression.
—Caroline Carlson
september 2, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
Yes, maybe a company that is already making profits doesn’t need additional capital to stay afloat but without a further injection, the opportunity to, say, expand rapidly and internationally would not be available.
—Trevor Clawson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2025
In the nightmare scenario for a couple that has just started dating, Cherry lies about being a confident swimmer and ends up struggling to keep herself afloat in the ocean, so Laura has to jump in and rescue her.
—Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
As the study notes, these costs must either be passed onto consumers, or absorbed by companies, forcing some to shutter and others to shed staff to remain afloat.
—Tiger Joyce, Boston Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
Madharaasi saw a major dip in collections on its second day but managed to stay afloat and higher than other fresh Indian releases.
—Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Now down three starters, the Royals will try to remain afloat in the American League Wild Card race.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025
The 49ers’ defense kept them afloat for much of the contest, but the offense couldn’t find paydirt.
—Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 7 Sep. 2025
On the streets of Caracas, word of the US strike is on everyone’s lips, but beyond being a popular talking point most people here are keeping calm and carrying on – while doing their best to stay afloat.
—Andrew Raine, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
In 2018, Chicago attorney Len Goodman and real estate developer Elzie Higginbottom bought the Reader from the Chicago Sun-Times for $1 and the assumption of debt, rescuing it from dissolution and pumping more than $1 million each into the paper to keep it afloat.
—Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Harrell started the game completing two of his first five passes before reeling off 12 consecutive completions and keeping the 49ers’ offense afloat.
—Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 7 Sep. 2025
Her husband was working two jobs at the time to keep their family in Northern Utah afloat.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
McConaughey may have had doubts at first, but Greengrass felt the actor was the only big star who could believably play a man hustling to stay afloat and keep his family together.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
With eviction just around the corner, the duo embarks on a wild hustle through Los Angeles, pulling off increasingly outrageous stunts to stay afloat — while trying to keep their friendship from going under.
—James Mercadante, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Indiana is simply trying to stay afloat without Caitlin Clark.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Government funding is set to expire in less than four weeks, and lawmakers are divided over how to keep the government afloat, even on a short-term basis.
—Erin Doherty, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
In New York City’s Chinatown in 1931, Luli Lee daydreams about dim sum and worries about her parents, who are struggling to keep the family restaurant afloat during the Great Depression.
—Caroline Carlson
september 2, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
Yes, maybe a company that is already making profits doesn’t need additional capital to stay afloat but without a further injection, the opportunity to, say, expand rapidly and internationally would not be available.
—Trevor Clawson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Adverb
Similarly, Wells Fargo CEO Charles Scharf told CNBC Wednesday that his bank is seeing lower-income Americans struggling to stay afloat, despite larger companies seemingly doing well.
—Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2025
In the nightmare scenario for a couple that has just started dating, Cherry lies about being a confident swimmer and ends up struggling to keep herself afloat in the ocean, so Laura has to jump in and rescue her.
—Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
As the study notes, these costs must either be passed onto consumers, or absorbed by companies, forcing some to shutter and others to shed staff to remain afloat.
—Tiger Joyce, Boston Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
Madharaasi saw a major dip in collections on its second day but managed to stay afloat and higher than other fresh Indian releases.
—Sweta Kaushal, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Now down three starters, the Royals will try to remain afloat in the American League Wild Card race.
—Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025
The 49ers’ defense kept them afloat for much of the contest, but the offense couldn’t find paydirt.
—Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 7 Sep. 2025
On the streets of Caracas, word of the US strike is on everyone’s lips, but beyond being a popular talking point most people here are keeping calm and carrying on – while doing their best to stay afloat.
—Andrew Raine, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
In 2018, Chicago attorney Len Goodman and real estate developer Elzie Higginbottom bought the Reader from the Chicago Sun-Times for $1 and the assumption of debt, rescuing it from dissolution and pumping more than $1 million each into the paper to keep it afloat.
—Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for afloat
Adjective
-
Social media posts and years of reviewing cookie-cutter luxury hotels had conditioned me to equate floating breakfasts, monogrammed accessories, butler service, and aromatherapy menus as markers of a dreamy luxury vacation.—
Katherine Alex Beaven,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Oct. 2024
-
The boat, a single motorboat, was found floating and half-submerged near the Harbor One Marina.—
Julia Gomez,
USA TODAY,
3 Sep. 2024
Adverb
-
This time the recipient is area rancher Benjamin Bonney (Dermot Mulroney), who along with his thuggish sons is suspected of murdering anyone hereabouts who won’t surrender their own land to him.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
10 Jan. 2025
-
Blame the damp and moderate climate hereabouts or the particular ardor of the northern red-legged frog, but our target species is ready to hop anytime between early November and the middle of March.—
Murr Brewster,
The Christian Science Monitor,
12 Mar. 2024
Adverb
-
The reversal marks just one example of how Trump is rewriting Republicans’ decades-old playbook on countering Beijing’s influence in the United States and abroad.—
Christian Datoc,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
YouTube can deliver a huge global audience, and clearly, the NFL simply isn't a major draw yet abroad — even for a game held in South America.—
Contessa Brewer,Alex Sherman,
CNBC,
11 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
So, whether you’re headed to Italy or just running errands closer to home, Seyfried’s sneakers are proof that one good pair can carry you everywhere.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Sep. 2025
-
There’s just utility workers and government workers everywhere.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Afloat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afloat. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
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