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

• 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

And what's not to love about the buoyant DiCaprio, who walked the red carpet solo (Italian supermodel girlfriend Vittoria Ceretti made a subtle separate entrance). —Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025

Who would’ve guessed Jersey vibes and Oasis vibes would be so … cuddly and buoyant? —Alex Edelman, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2025

Dinner is very spiky and buoyant. —Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025

Fresh from a family vacation in Europe, the tall and athletic Langley is cheery, almost buoyant. —Thomas Brewster, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025

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