hovered; hovering
ˈhə-v(ə-)riŋ 
ˈhä-
: to position (a computer cursor) over something (such as an image or icon) without selecting it
Many in the class hovered their cursors over words and icons for long periods before committing to clicking their mouse.—
Kelly Heyboer
Kelly Heyboer1
a
: to hang fluttering in the air or on the wing
A hawk hovered overhead.
b
: to remain suspended over a place or object
a hummingbird hovering over the flowers
Helicopters hovered above us.
2
a
: to move to and fro near a place : fluctuate around a given point
Unemployment hovered around 10 percent.
b
: to be in a state of uncertainty, irresolution, or suspense
… hovering uncomfortably behind a cigar …—Tennessee Williams
Tennessee WilliamsThe country hovers on the brink of famine.
plural hovers
: the act or state of hovering in the air
Ospreys were most successful hunting from a hover and spent more of their hunting time doing it that way.—John P. Wiley, Jr.
John P. Wiley, Jr.After a careful check outside to ensure that his flight path was clear, one of the pilots lifted his helicopter to a hover, then maneuvered to the middle of the valley.—Breck Henderson
Breck HendersonExamples of hover in a Sentence
Verb
Watch as the hummingbird hovers over the flowers.
Bees hovered around the hive.
Waiters hovered near our table.
nervous mothers hovering over their children
Unemployment rates were hovering around 10 percent.
Temperatures will continue to hover around freezing.
The patient was hovering between life and death.
The country hovers on the brink of famine.
Recent Examples on the Web
Bryan West, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
In Denver, overnight temperature lows are forecast to hover around freezing through Friday night, before rising back up into the 40s, according to the weather service.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 28 Oct. 2025
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2025
The all-weather aircraft executed a series of precise manoeuvres, including a hover salute, backward ascent, and vertical climb, before deploying jamming flares in a vivid display of battlefield readiness.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hover
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Verb
Kansas City's brisk temperatures hovered in the low 50s as the red-and-gold looked to extend its winning record.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
In Denver, overnight temperature lows are forecast to hover around freezing through Friday night, before rising back up into the 40s, according to the weather service.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 28 Oct. 2025
Noun
Throughout the film, del Toro flits and hovers between contradictory ideas, with the restlessness of the beautiful butterflies that Elizabeth, an amateur entomologist, likes to study.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2025
The all-weather aircraft executed a series of precise manoeuvres, including a hover salute, backward ascent, and vertical climb, before deploying jamming flares in a vivid display of battlefield readiness.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hover
Cite this Entry
“Hover.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hover. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hovered; hovering
-(ə-)riŋ
1
a
: to hang fluttering in the air or on the wing
a bird hovered overhead
b
: to remain floating over a place or object
2
a
: to move to and fro near a place
waiters hovered about
b
: to be in an undecided or uncertain state
hovering between life and death
hover
noun
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