float

verb

floated; floating; floats

intransitive verb

1

: to rest on the surface of or be suspended in a fluid

2

a

: to drift or move on or through or as if on or through a fluid

Yellow leaves floated down.

She floated across the stage.

b

: wander

c

: to live without a serious purpose or goal

floats through life

3

of a currency : to find a level in the international exchange market in response to the law of supply and demand and without any restrictive effect of artificial support or control

transitive verb

1

a

: to cause to float in or on the surface of a fluid

floating logs down the river

b

: to cause to float as if in a fluid

2

: flood

float a cranberry bog

3

: to smooth (something, such as plaster or cement) with a float

4

a

: to put forth for acceptance

float a proposal

b

: to place (an issue of securities) on the market

c

: to obtain money for the establishment or development of (an enterprise) by issuing and selling securities

d

: negotiate

float a loan

Synonyms of float

• hover
• sail
• swim
• drift

Examples of float in a Sentence

She was floating on her back.

ice floating in the river

Will this material sink or float?

dust floating through the air

The incoming tide will eventually float the ship off the reef.

They floated the logs down the river.

She floated gracefully across the stage.

His voice floated to the back of the room.

Recent Examples on the Web

Access to Lovers Point Beach in Monterey County is closed after a dead whale was found floating near the shore on Wednesday. —Tim Fang, CBS News, 4 June 2026

Under the direction of GM Lindsay Browder, the collection has evolved into a mix of made-to-perform golf nonnegotiables and lifestyle selects for practically floating through your day. —Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 4 June 2026

Tim Mancuso doesn’t drive to the Main Line Armory so much as float there. —Jayson Buford, Robb Report, 4 June 2026

If caught in a rip current, relax and float. —Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 3 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing float

• dead man's float
• float glass
• milk float

Rhymes for float

• bloat
• boat
• choate
• coat
• cote
• dote
• gloat
• goat
• groat
• haute
• moat
• mote

Kids Definition

float

1 of 2 noun

ˈflōt 

1

: an act or instance of floating

2

: something that floats: as

a

: a device (as a cork) that holds up the baited end of a fishing line

b

: a floating platform anchored near a shoreline for use by swimmers or boats

c

: a hollow ball that controls the flow or level of the liquid it floats on (as in a tank)

d

: a watertight structure that holds up an airplane on water

3

: a vehicle with a platform used to carry an exhibit in a parade

also : the vehicle and exhibit together

4

: a drink consisting of ice cream floating in a beverage

float

2 of 2 verb

1

: to rest on the surface of a fluid

2

: to drift on or through or as if on or through a fluid

dust floating through the air

3

: to cause to float

float logs down a river

floater noun

Legal Definition

float

1 of 2 noun

1

: an amount of money represented by checks outstanding and in process of collection

2

: the time between a transaction (as the writing of a check or a purchase on credit) and the actual withdrawal of funds to cover it

float

2 of 2 intransitive verb

of a currency : to find a level in the international exchange market in response to the law of supply and demand and without any restrictive effect of artificial support or control

transitive verb

1

: to place (an issue of securities) on the market

2

: to obtain money for the establishment or development of (an enterprise) by issuing and selling securities

3

: negotiate sense 1

float a loan