hover

play

verb hov·er \ˈhə-vər, ˈhä-\

Definition of hover

hovered

;

hovering

play \ˈhə-v(ə-)riŋ, ˈhä-\

transitive verb
: to position (a computer cursor) over something (such as an image or icon) without selecting it You start typing in a search term, then hover your cursor over the item you want to delete and press the delete key. — Jay Lee
intransitive verb
1a : 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.
2a : 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 The country hovers on the brink of famine.

hover

noun

hoverer

play \ˈhə-vər-ər, ˈhä-\ noun

See hover defined for English-language learners

See hover defined for kids

Examples of hover in a Sentence

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 of hover from the Web

Pause, then lower until your butt hovers right above the floor, and repeat without touching the ground to complete one rep. 2.

— elizabeth narins, Cosmopolitan, "9 Butt Moves That Beat Squats", 20 June 2017
And then there’s the air of degradation and moral downfall that hovers over the episode.

— lili anolik, VanityFair.com, "Warren Beatty, Pauline Kael, and an Epic Hollywood Mistake", 19 June 2017
In this case, Gillespie and Stewart’s vote totals hovered within a point of each other for hours after the polls closed.

— molly ball, The Atlantic, "Virginia's Wake-up Call to the GOP Establishment", 17 June 2017
For all the buzz Alabama usually generates, Saban isn't saying much with passing game questions and uncertainty hovering over a defense that lost seven players to the NFL Draft.

— charles hollis, AL.com, "The pupil (Smart) has a class with his teacher (Saban) in SEC title game", 11 June 2017
Keeping core engaged and elbows close to torso, bend arms to lower body toward ground until hovering 1 inch above mat.

— bari leiberman, Redbook, "6 Bodyweight Triceps Workouts You Can Do Without a Gym", 2 June 2017
The owner of the coffee maker, Lisa Moore, hovered nearby.

— lonnie shekhtman, The Christian Science Monitor, "An alternative to junking that broken appliance", 31 May 2017
To date, Nyx boasts a membership hovering around 3,000 people and, this year, employed a caravan of 42 floats during its Feb. 22 parade, the krewe's website notes.

— beau evans, NOLA.com, "'What is N-Y-X?': State reps get a little confused by the Mardi Gras krewe", 30 May 2017
But that won’t dim the spotlight that will hover over the Seahawks throughout the 2017 season.

— bob condotta, The Seattle Times, "Five questions as the Seahawks begin OTAs on Tuesday", 29 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hover'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of hover

Middle English hoveren, frequentative of hoven to hover

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First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

HOVER Defined for English Language Learners

hover

play

verb

Definition of hover for English Language Learners

: to float in the air without moving in any direction
: to stay very close to a person or place
: to stay near a specified point or level

HOVER Defined for Kids

hover

play

verb hov·er \ˈhə-vər, ˈhä-\

Definition of hover for Students

hovered

;

hovering

1 : to fly or float in the air without moving far in any direction Bees hovered around the hive.
2 : to stay near a place And Lockhart was hovering around all of them, making suggestions. — J. K. Rowling, Chamber of Secrets