Synonyms of afloat

afloat 1 of 2

adjective

ə-ˈflōt 

as in floating

riding upon the surface of a body of liquid

the boat can't stay afloat much longer

Synonyms & Similar Words

• floating
• sailing
• drifting
• hovering
• buoyant
• unsinkable
• hanging
• poised
• gliding
• floaty
• free-floating
• awash
• wafting

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sinking
• sunk
• high and dry
• aground

afloat

2 of 2

adverb

as in abroad

Related Words

• abroad
• hereabouts
• everywhere
• all over
• everyplace
• round
• around
• about

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of afloat

Adjective

Through a long winter, more young players will be forced to sell off pieces of their future just to stay afloat. — Chris Koras, Sportico.com, 28 Sep. 2026

There are no grand revelations here, just cups of tea, glasses of wine, difficult clients, bad jokes, old songs, and the small acts through which people keep one another afloat. — Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 19 Sep. 2026

Recovery and transformation As small businesses in the area fought to stay afloat, an injection of federal cash helped the effort. — Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026

McArn argued that rescinding the MOU had worsened the district’s financial position and reiterated that restoring the agreement would help the district stay afloat. — Chaewon Chung updated September 10, Sacbee.com, 10 Sep. 2026

Colombian medical clinics serving Venezuelan migrants closed after private funders kept them afloat for several months. — James Pollard, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Though now, the campus is shifting more digital to stay financially afloat and keep up with a changing educational landscape. — Lacey Beasley, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026

At one point, Georgia O’Keeffe had to convince her own dealer, Edith Herbert, to buy some of Kusama’s work to keep her afloat. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026

After the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia made clear its intention to end its funding at the end of this season, the league has been looking for investment and solutions to remain afloat. — Brody Miller, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Adverb

Willis made wise plays, both large and small, and kept the Dolphins afloat the entire day. — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 27 Sep. 2026

Because of the financial woes, the bar decided to lift the mask mandate on Saturdays to increase revenue and keep the business afloat, The Boston Globe reported. — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026

O’Donnell’s characters are usually fresh out of divorces and staying afloat on waves of delusional self-confidence and optimism. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026

As cancer centers struggle to keep up with rising demand, fragile rural hospitals are fighting to stay afloat and preserve the services patients depend on. — Nick El Hajj, Des Moines Register, 15 Sep. 2026

Are Chris Brooks and Kaleb Johnson good enough to keep that room afloat in a by-committee approach? — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Rohrwacher, who already shined in the director’s 2023 seaside romance Out of Season, brings plenty of soul to a character striving within a crushing system, trying to do the right thing but also stay afloat in a cutthroat corporation. — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026

The sequel series followed the cast into high school and remained afloat for three seasons from 2008 to 2011. — Isabelle Farina, Variety, 8 Sep. 2026

Samples remained afloat in freshwater for more than two months, while seawater tests examined corrosion resistance and a prototype buoy’s stability. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026