aloft

1 of 2

adverb

ə-ˈlȯft 

1

: at or to a great height

measuring the winds aloft

2

: in the air

especially : in flight (as in an airplane)

meals served aloft

3

: at, on, or to the masthead or the higher rigging

went aloft to unfurl the sails

aloft

2 of 2

preposition

: on top of : above

bright signs aloft hotels

Synonyms

Adverb

• overhead
• upward
• above

Examples of aloft in a Sentence

Adverb

The balloon stayed aloft for days.

the ease with which he can hold a ballerina aloft with one hand is awesome

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

The band paraded along the catwalk into the audience, guitars aloft, in a Bacchanalian procession of musicality and theatricality. —Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025

Blue Origin Blue Origin has now launched 13 passenger flights since the sub-orbital spacecraft carried Amazon and Blue Origin founder Bezos and three others aloft in July 2021. —William Harwood, CBS News, 29 June 2025

Huge crowds turned out in the city for the parade, with many holding homemade banners aloft. —Olivia Kemp, CNN Money, 28 June 2025

The storms are being fueled by a mix of warm, moist air, strong winds aloft, and an approaching low-pressure system—all of which are making the atmosphere increasingly unstable. —Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English, from Old Norse ā lopt, from ā on, in + lopt air — more at on, loft

Preposition

Middle English alofte, derivative of alofte aloft entry 1

First Known Use

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for aloft

• hayloft
• coughed
• croft
• doffed
• loft
• oft
• scoffed
• soft
• toft
• waft

Kids Definition

aloft

adverb or adjective

ə-ˈlȯft

1

: in the air

especially : in flight

2

: at, on, or to the higher rigging of a sailing ship