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

Last Ditch received backlash after introducing mask-optional nights to help stay afloat, and has since been thrust into the national spotlight after a Boston Globe story about the bar went viral. — Tara Knight, Bon Appetit Magazine, 6 Nov. 2026

The district has already cut almost 800 positions over the last two school years to stay afloat. — Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Nov. 2026

Nelson Chai, DailyPay CEO, will join CNBC's Sharon Epperson to discuss the challenges employees face staying financially afloat amid the rising costs of groceries, gas and everyday personal expenses. — Ian Thomas,colleen McKown, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026

Others clung onto one another, buoys and pieces of wreckage, shivering and treading water to stay afloat. — Jaimie Ding, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026

Its advocacy work remained limited, largely because its board members were all working to keep their own arts organizations, including several of the state’s eight Direct Regional Service Organizations, or DRSOs, financially afloat. — Lucy Gellman, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026

Unlike previous Ship splashdowns, though, which have exploded after tipping over into the water, Ship 40 remained largely intact and afloat. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 14 Oct. 2026

Such outlets depended heavily on taxpayer funding, which fed into state advertising and government communication campaigns, and have now lost the support that kept them afloat. — Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 13 Oct. 2026

The guest lectures, speaking engagements, and board memberships have all dried up, and Housewives is pretty much the only thing keeping her afloat. — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026

Adverb

Water scarcity depletes grain, grass, and other plants that cows eat, forcing ranchers to either buy supplemental feed or thin their herds to keep afloat financially. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 2 Nov. 2026

Many faculty members have to work long hours to keep the paper afloat. — Pamela E. Walck, The Conversation, 29 Oct. 2026

As the demands of the Revolution and founding a new country repeatedly pulled John away, Abigail single-handedly kept their household afloat. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Oct. 2026

Joe should be credited for being the steady hand who kept the leaking ship afloat long enough to win a couple of unlikely division titles. — Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 15 Oct. 2026

For now, the leading AI companies can stay afloat by attracting huge investment (OpenAI and Anthropic), or subsidizing their AI operations with their traditional revenue streams (Google and Meta). — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 14 Oct. 2026

Creditors continue to roll over loans to keep struggling firms afloat, even as nearly a third of them are losing money. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026

The family has since scrambled to keep their business and household afloat. — Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026

Seth Herald | Reuters Many immigrant business owners depleted their life savings to keep stores afloat during the surge, according to Jason Chavez, a Minneapolis City Council member who represents part of Lake Street. — Alex Harring, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026