refloat

verb

re·​float (ˌ)rē-ˈflōt How to pronounce refloat (audio)
refloated; refloating

transitive verb

: to float (something) again
Although there are no plans to refloat the wreck, divers expect to carefully document and remove whatever they can of Franklin's flagship.Bob Weber
New Zealand conservation authorities said 240 pilot whales that were stranded overnight at a remote bay … refloated themselves on Sunday and were swimming offshore.Reuters
Banks were refloated and the US trade deficit returned to its pre-2008 level.Yanis Varoufakis

Examples of refloat in a Sentence

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.
Attempts to refloat the mammal with the help of police boats, excavators and inflatable boats had temporarily freed it. ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026 But pouring money into the Titanic to refloat is, has been demonstrated over the years to weigh down the Titanic even more, to keep it on the bottom of the ocean floor. Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 9 Apr. 2026 The ship went aground at Eagle River on Lake Superior in June 1864 and had to be refloated. George Petras, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026 That sad scenario is also a perfect opportunity to refloat an idea that needs to emerge in the rarefied Capitol air. Andy Shaw, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for refloat

Word History

First Known Use

1812, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of refloat was in 1812

Cite this Entry

“Refloat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refloat. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.

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