buoyant

adjective

buoy·​ant ˈbȯi-ənt How to pronounce buoyant (audio)
ˈbü-yənt
Synonyms of buoyant
: 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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In March, during their final match in Uzbekistan before the World Cup, the atmosphere was loud, buoyant and joyous. Tim Spiers, New York Times, 10 June 2026 The deal also comes at a time of biotech dealmaking frenzy, driven by looming patent cliffs, newly buoyant public markets and pharma giants’ race to bolster their pipelines. Anniek Bao,elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 9 June 2026 The mood this time was understandably less buoyant among the Knicks partisans. The New Yorker, New Yorker, 9 June 2026 The early signs are not encouraging, despite a buoyant stock market. Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for buoyant

Word History

Etymology

see buoy entry 1

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of buoyant was in 1578

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Buoyant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buoyant. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

buoyant

adjective
buoy·​ant ˈbȯi-ənt How to pronounce buoyant (audio)
ˈbü-yənt
1
: having buoyancy
especially : capable of floating
2
: being in a happy mood : cheerful
buoyantly adverb

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