as in floating
riding upon the surface of a body of liquid
the boat can't stay afloat much longer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in abroad
Related Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of afloat
Shaoyu Yuan, The Conversation, 5 Nov. 2025
The question has extra resonance at a time when local deficits and federal cuts are forcing leaders to make tough choices about which programs stay afloat.
—Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Nov. 2025
Even the fact that Refiberd doesn’t need a lot of financing to keep itself afloat because of the nature of its technology is a nice bit of happenstance.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 31 Oct. 2025
The team is off to a slow start offensively, but Jalen Brunson is putting up big numbers to keep them afloat.
—Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Leo, Kate, and Zane who keep the drama afloat.
—John Ortved, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2025
Some controllers are left with no choice but to accumulate debt or make difficult financial decisions to stay afloat.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
According to Bookman, his partner was struggling with substance abuse and was barely able to stay afloat, even with the success of his invention.
—Otto Rabe, Cincinnati Enquirer, 24 Oct. 2025
Earlier this month, the Department of Agriculture used tax revenue to allocate $300 million to keep the program — known in full as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children — afloat.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2025
Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2025
Last week, the Agriculture Department issued temporary emergency funds to keep afloat the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children in Wisconsin, known as WIC.
—Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Reserve funds have kept the program afloat since 2022.
—Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 22 Oct. 2025
Doncic and company will be tasked with staying afloat in a competitive Western Conference while James is sidelined.
—Valentina Martinez, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
That defeat was huge for programs like TCU that needed a little help to stay afloat in the Big 12 race.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Oct. 2025
But the Lakers staying afloat while James is sidelined will start with how well Doncic and Reaves lead the group.
—Khobi Price, Oc Register, 19 Oct. 2025
While Amazon sales may be enough to stay afloat, placing all its seasonings into one virtual storefront can hamstring a fledgling business in the long term.
—Mara Weinraub, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025
His four total touchdowns are keeping him afloat as a weekly RB2.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
The new plan is cognizant of the need to maintain a strong manufacturing base, particularly among beleaguered industrial farms and other older industries struggling to stay afloat.
—Shaoyu Yuan, The Conversation, 5 Nov. 2025
The question has extra resonance at a time when local deficits and federal cuts are forcing leaders to make tough choices about which programs stay afloat.
—Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Nov. 2025
Even the fact that Refiberd doesn’t need a lot of financing to keep itself afloat because of the nature of its technology is a nice bit of happenstance.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 31 Oct. 2025
The team is off to a slow start offensively, but Jalen Brunson is putting up big numbers to keep them afloat.
—Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2025
Leo, Kate, and Zane who keep the drama afloat.
—John Ortved, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2025
Some controllers are left with no choice but to accumulate debt or make difficult financial decisions to stay afloat.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
According to Bookman, his partner was struggling with substance abuse and was barely able to stay afloat, even with the success of his invention.
—Otto Rabe, Cincinnati Enquirer, 24 Oct. 2025
Earlier this month, the Department of Agriculture used tax revenue to allocate $300 million to keep the program — known in full as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children — afloat.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2025
Adverb
Displacing 80,000 tons, the Fujian is the closest thing afloat to the US Navy’s 97,000-ton Nimitz-class carriers, which make up 10 of the 11 carriers in the US fleet.
—Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2025
Last week, the Agriculture Department issued temporary emergency funds to keep afloat the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children in Wisconsin, known as WIC.
—Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Reserve funds have kept the program afloat since 2022.
—Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 22 Oct. 2025
Doncic and company will be tasked with staying afloat in a competitive Western Conference while James is sidelined.
—Valentina Martinez, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
That defeat was huge for programs like TCU that needed a little help to stay afloat in the Big 12 race.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Oct. 2025
But the Lakers staying afloat while James is sidelined will start with how well Doncic and Reaves lead the group.
—Khobi Price, Oc Register, 19 Oct. 2025
While Amazon sales may be enough to stay afloat, placing all its seasonings into one virtual storefront can hamstring a fledgling business in the long term.
—Mara Weinraub, Bon Appetit Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025
His four total touchdowns are keeping him afloat as a weekly RB2.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 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
-
It’s primarily sponsored by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, known as the Public Investment Fund, which is a key pillar of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s plans to pursue megaprojects and investments abroad.—
Seung Min Kim,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Protecting public health abroad benefits Americans.—
Robin Lin Miller,
The Conversation,
5 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
And while the absence of a hometown rooting interest obviously won’t translate into a total baseball blackout hereabouts, only someone who’s been clobbered over the head by Wonderboy might expect to see the World Series ratings reach the heights of last year.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
10 Oct. 2025
-
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
Adverb
-
The research was thrilling and of great interest to archaeologists everywhere, according to Stephen Houston, a professor of anthropology at Brown University in Rhode Island.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Our assignment everywhere is to send the strongest fighters for the working class wherever possible.—
Domenico Montanaro,
NPR,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Afloat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afloat. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share