as in floating
riding upon the surface of a body of liquid
the boat can't stay afloat much longer
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in hereabouts
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Recent Examples of afloat
Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 7 Sep. 2025
Her husband was working two jobs at the time to keep their family in Northern Utah afloat.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
McConaughey may have had doubts at first, but Greengrass felt the actor was the only big star who could believably play a man hustling to stay afloat and keep his family together.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
With eviction just around the corner, the duo embarks on a wild hustle through Los Angeles, pulling off increasingly outrageous stunts to stay afloat — while trying to keep their friendship from going under.
—James Mercadante, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Indiana is simply trying to stay afloat without Caitlin Clark.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Government funding is set to expire in less than four weeks, and lawmakers are divided over how to keep the government afloat, even on a short-term basis.
—Erin Doherty, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
In New York City’s Chinatown in 1931, Luli Lee daydreams about dim sum and worries about her parents, who are struggling to keep the family restaurant afloat during the Great Depression.
—Caroline Carlson
september 2, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
Yes, maybe a company that is already making profits doesn’t need additional capital to stay afloat but without a further injection, the opportunity to, say, expand rapidly and internationally would not be available.
—Trevor Clawson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Andrew Raine, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
Bankruptcy Considerations For Mid-Size Companies While larger businesses commonly use private-credit deals and liability management exercises as strategies to stay afloat and out of bankruptcy court, these options may be out of reach for smaller companies.
—Jonathan Carson, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
And every few months, Pakistan has returned to the International Monetary Fund boardrooms to keep its economy afloat.
—Mohammed Hanif, Time, 2 Sep. 2025
In 2018, Chicago attorney Len Goodman and real estate developer Elzie Higginbottom bought the Reader from the Chicago Sun-Times for $1 and the assumption of debt, rescuing it from dissolution and pumping more than $1 million each into the paper to keep it afloat.
—Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025
The latest floods were the breaking point for many residents struggling to stay afloat, Dillion said.
—Nidhi Sharma, NBC news, 22 Aug. 2025
Pakistan made these subsidy reforms in recent years because of loan requirements from the International Monetary Fund, or IMF, which has lent Pakistan more than $10 billion in the past decade alone to keep its economy afloat.
—Betsy Joles, NPR, 21 Aug. 2025
The bulk carrier sustained damages from the explosion and fire but remained afloat, officials confirmed.
—Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2025
Deaths often occur when swimmers are pulled offshore and are unable to stay afloat.
—Colson Thayer, People.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Harrell started the game completing two of his first five passes before reeling off 12 consecutive completions and keeping the 49ers’ offense afloat.
—Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 7 Sep. 2025
Her husband was working two jobs at the time to keep their family in Northern Utah afloat.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
McConaughey may have had doubts at first, but Greengrass felt the actor was the only big star who could believably play a man hustling to stay afloat and keep his family together.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
With eviction just around the corner, the duo embarks on a wild hustle through Los Angeles, pulling off increasingly outrageous stunts to stay afloat — while trying to keep their friendship from going under.
—James Mercadante, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Indiana is simply trying to stay afloat without Caitlin Clark.
—Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
Government funding is set to expire in less than four weeks, and lawmakers are divided over how to keep the government afloat, even on a short-term basis.
—Erin Doherty, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2025
In New York City’s Chinatown in 1931, Luli Lee daydreams about dim sum and worries about her parents, who are struggling to keep the family restaurant afloat during the Great Depression.
—Caroline Carlson
september 2, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2025
Yes, maybe a company that is already making profits doesn’t need additional capital to stay afloat but without a further injection, the opportunity to, say, expand rapidly and internationally would not be available.
—Trevor Clawson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Adverb
On the streets of Caracas, word of the US strike is on everyone’s lips, but beyond being a popular talking point most people here are keeping calm and carrying on – while doing their best to stay afloat.
—Andrew Raine, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
Bankruptcy Considerations For Mid-Size Companies While larger businesses commonly use private-credit deals and liability management exercises as strategies to stay afloat and out of bankruptcy court, these options may be out of reach for smaller companies.
—Jonathan Carson, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
And every few months, Pakistan has returned to the International Monetary Fund boardrooms to keep its economy afloat.
—Mohammed Hanif, Time, 2 Sep. 2025
In 2018, Chicago attorney Len Goodman and real estate developer Elzie Higginbottom bought the Reader from the Chicago Sun-Times for $1 and the assumption of debt, rescuing it from dissolution and pumping more than $1 million each into the paper to keep it afloat.
—Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025
The latest floods were the breaking point for many residents struggling to stay afloat, Dillion said.
—Nidhi Sharma, NBC news, 22 Aug. 2025
Pakistan made these subsidy reforms in recent years because of loan requirements from the International Monetary Fund, or IMF, which has lent Pakistan more than $10 billion in the past decade alone to keep its economy afloat.
—Betsy Joles, NPR, 21 Aug. 2025
The bulk carrier sustained damages from the explosion and fire but remained afloat, officials confirmed.
—Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2025
Deaths often occur when swimmers are pulled offshore and are unable to stay afloat.
—Colson Thayer, People.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for afloat
Adjective
-
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
-
The boat, a single motorboat, was found floating and half-submerged near the Harbor One Marina.—
Julia Gomez,
USA TODAY,
3 Sep. 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
-
Some travelers look abroad to Europe, others to the Caribbean or the Canadian Rockies.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Sep. 2025
-
For decades, Republican and Democratic administrations have understood that advancing democracy abroad creates allies and contributes to a more stable and economically successful world.—
Jason Carter,
Time,
4 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
As kids head back to class, parents everywhere are stocking up on school supplies, from new backpacks to lunchbox items.—
Chaunie Brusie,
Parents,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Ultraslim soles have since popped up everywhere from Louis Vuitton to Adidas—but the OG pair is still our favorite investment of the bunch.—
Amina Ayoud,
Glamour,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Afloat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afloat. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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