as in to inspire
to fill with courage or strength of purpose
the sudden improvement in his health buoyed him up
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for buoy (up)
Verb
-
The cream contains a unique NCEF formula inspired by ingredients in cosmetic injectables.—
Cathy Nelson,
InStyle,
27 Feb. 2026 -
Some way short of the 467 made by his idol Vitor Baia, the Champions League-winning goalkeeper who inspired him to wear No 99 on his back, but hefty nonetheless.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Paramount’s pressure campaign had been relentless, first winning over theater owners, who expressed alarm over Netflix’s business model that encourages consumers to watch movies in their homes.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Feb. 2026
-
The difficulty is that their price tags do not encourage patience from supporters.—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
It can also be used as a bench, bearing up to 355 pounds.—
Caitlyn Martyn
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
11 Aug. 2025
-
Harriet remembered there was something: inexpressibly affecting in the aspect of the frail little creature who had done such wonderful things, and who was able to bear up, with so bright an eye and so composed a countenance, under not only such a weight of sorrow, but such a prospect of solitude.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Aug. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Buoy (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/buoy%20%28up%29. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
