buoyant

adjective

buoy·​ant ˈbȯi-ənt 

ˈbü-yənt

: having buoyancy

Warm air is more buoyant than cool air.

: such as

a

: capable of floating

Cork is naturally buoyant.

b

: cheerful, gay

in a buoyant mood

c

: capable of maintaining a satisfactorily high level

a buoyant economy

buoyantly adverb

Synonyms of buoyant

• cheerful
• optimistic
• bright

Examples of buoyant in a Sentence

Warm air is more buoyant than cool air.

The actors were buoyant as they prepared for the evening's performance.

Recent Examples on the Web

Wong explained that convection on Jupiter operates differently than on Earth because air on Earth is mostly nitrogen, which is heavier than water, so moist air is more buoyant than drier air. —Charles Q. Choi, Space.com, 26 Mar. 2026

Shaping a chart-topping song, on the other hand, involves a buoyant push-pull. —Laura Regensdorf, Architectural Digest, 25 Mar. 2026

The buoyant young Olympic skating gold medalist, the true Queen of Oakland, is awarded the key to the city by Mayor Barbara Lee at a rally with 4,000 cheering fans outside City Hall. —Bay Area News Group, Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2026

The first feature in 12 years from co-directors Lord and Miller — whose collaborations include The Lego Movie, the Spider-Verse films, 21 Jump Street and its sequel — the new film shows their facility for buoyant humor and heartfelt emotion very much intact. —David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see buoy entry 1

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for buoyant

• clairvoyant
• flamboyant

Kids Definition

buoyant

adjective

buoy·​ant ˈbȯi-ənt 

ˈbü-yənt

1

: having buoyancy

especially : capable of floating

2

: being in a happy mood : cheerful

buoyantly adverb