as in floating
riding upon the surface of a body of liquid
the boat can't stay afloat much longer
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in hereabouts
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Recent Examples of afloat
Keith Phipps, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
The family’s mediator and breadwinner, the one who carried its optimism and kept it afloat, was Bruce’s mother Adele, who worked as a legal secretary.
—Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
The Graye's business partners presented their plan to keep the near century-old greenhouse afloat to the board on Tuesday after months of discussion with the board and community members.
—Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Then, as the Steelers swarmed, Maye gave in to his playmaking impulse again — the same that had just kept the Patriots afloat — and lost the ball trying a hopeless pitch to TreVeyon Henderson.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 22 Sep. 2025
Marcus Mariota is set to make his first start of the season for the Commanders and will look to keep the team afloat for however long their superstar quarterback is out.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
There was quiet affirmation sprinkled throughout this game that Vance Joseph's defense can and will keep the Broncos afloat in the playoff race, no matter how hapless their offense remains.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025
But with the help of significant backing from prominent right-wing donors who had made their fortunes in business, Turning Point stayed afloat and gained momentum with students across the nation.
—Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2025
Program revenue keeps an organization afloat for most of the year, only to leave the team squeezed in months 11 and 12.
—Sherry Quam Taylor, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 27 Sep. 2025
Instead, group homes that used that model would be forced to apply to the Minnesota Department of Human Services for behavioral health funding to stay afloat, and abide by an entirely different set of regulations and expectations.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 23 Sep. 2025
His team is struggling to stay afloat.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Sep. 2025
The dual revenue stream is expected to keep the project financially afloat regardless of any steps by Beijing to sway markets.
—Ernest Scheyder, Reuters, 19 Sep. 2025
Once flush with venture capital dollars, many were now struggling to stay afloat.
—Amanda Lauren, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
With Johnson and Gordon down, the Bears have relied on Tyrique Stevenson, Nahshon Wright and Nick McCloud to keep them afloat.
—Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Similarly, Wells Fargo CEO Charles Scharf told CNBC Wednesday that his bank is seeing lower-income Americans struggling to stay afloat, despite larger companies seemingly doing well.
—Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2025
As the study notes, these costs must either be passed onto consumers, or absorbed by companies, forcing some to shutter and others to shed staff to remain afloat.
—Tiger Joyce, Boston Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Byron’s way ahead of the game, touting Guinness’s ability to keep men, well, afloat using an elaborate nautical metaphor.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
The family’s mediator and breadwinner, the one who carried its optimism and kept it afloat, was Bruce’s mother Adele, who worked as a legal secretary.
—Eric Cortellessa, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
The Graye's business partners presented their plan to keep the near century-old greenhouse afloat to the board on Tuesday after months of discussion with the board and community members.
—Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Then, as the Steelers swarmed, Maye gave in to his playmaking impulse again — the same that had just kept the Patriots afloat — and lost the ball trying a hopeless pitch to TreVeyon Henderson.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 22 Sep. 2025
Marcus Mariota is set to make his first start of the season for the Commanders and will look to keep the team afloat for however long their superstar quarterback is out.
—Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
There was quiet affirmation sprinkled throughout this game that Vance Joseph's defense can and will keep the Broncos afloat in the playoff race, no matter how hapless their offense remains.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 21 Sep. 2025
But with the help of significant backing from prominent right-wing donors who had made their fortunes in business, Turning Point stayed afloat and gained momentum with students across the nation.
—Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2025
Program revenue keeps an organization afloat for most of the year, only to leave the team squeezed in months 11 and 12.
—Sherry Quam Taylor, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Adverb
Donations from colleagues and community members helped the family stay afloat.
—Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 27 Sep. 2025
Instead, group homes that used that model would be forced to apply to the Minnesota Department of Human Services for behavioral health funding to stay afloat, and abide by an entirely different set of regulations and expectations.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 23 Sep. 2025
His team is struggling to stay afloat.
—Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Sep. 2025
The dual revenue stream is expected to keep the project financially afloat regardless of any steps by Beijing to sway markets.
—Ernest Scheyder, Reuters, 19 Sep. 2025
Once flush with venture capital dollars, many were now struggling to stay afloat.
—Amanda Lauren, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
With Johnson and Gordon down, the Bears have relied on Tyrique Stevenson, Nahshon Wright and Nick McCloud to keep them afloat.
—Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Similarly, Wells Fargo CEO Charles Scharf told CNBC Wednesday that his bank is seeing lower-income Americans struggling to stay afloat, despite larger companies seemingly doing well.
—Laya Neelakandan, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2025
As the study notes, these costs must either be passed onto consumers, or absorbed by companies, forcing some to shutter and others to shed staff to remain afloat.
—Tiger Joyce, Boston Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for afloat
Adjective
-
Companies with a smaller market value generally tend to have more floating rate debt than larger businesses.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Social media posts and years of reviewing cookie-cutter luxury hotels had conditioned me to equate floating breakfasts, monogrammed accessories, butler service, and aromatherapy menus as markers of a dreamy luxury vacation.—
Katherine Alex Beaven,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Oct. 2024
Adverb
-
This time the recipient is area rancher Benjamin Bonney (Dermot Mulroney), who along with his thuggish sons is suspected of murdering anyone hereabouts who won’t surrender their own land to him.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
10 Jan. 2025
-
Blame the damp and moderate climate hereabouts or the particular ardor of the northern red-legged frog, but our target species is ready to hop anytime between early November and the middle of March.—
Murr Brewster,
The Christian Science Monitor,
12 Mar. 2024
Adverb
-
With tours abroad becoming increasingly common, the genre’s reach now extends to the Cuban diaspora.—
Ana González Vilá,
Rolling Stone,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Bloomberg reported a Kremlin plot to undermine Sandu’s Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) which included recruiting Moldovans abroad to vote, deploying people to stage disruptive protests, and a social media disinformation campaign.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
No longer just the quintessential New England favorite or the Cali tech bro in fleece, the half zip will be spotted everywhere this fall, with so many stylish brands putting their own spin on the classic.—
Nneya Richards,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Then, there are the multitude of other financial pressures facing mom-and-pop stores everywhere, like competition from major chains.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Afloat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afloat. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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