1
as in hovered
to rest or move along the surface of a liquid or in the air
a canoe floating down the river particles of dust floating in the air
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wandered
to move about from place to place aimlessly
lost touch with a childhood friend who spent much of his adult life floating from place to place
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of floated
The agency has floated the idea of transitioning special-education services to Health and Human Services—the department, McMahon pointed out, that oversaw special education before Ed existed.
—
Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Some Republicans have also floated adding more defense funding and a change to capital gains taxes to adjust for inflation.
—Cate Martel, The Hill, 20 Apr. 2026
United may have taken the bigger hit after American shot down the notion of merger with its rival, which was reportedly floated by United's CEO last week at the White House.
—ABC News, 19 Apr. 2026
It was floated unsuccessfully in 2014 and resurfaced in 2019 following Ken Griffin’s record-setting apartment purchase but ultimately stalled amid pushback from industry groups, including the Real Estate Board of New York.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 17 Apr. 2026
According to the Reuters piece and other accounts, Kirby floated the joining-of-forces concept directly to the president.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2026
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent publicly floated the idea at Semafor World Economy on Monday.
—Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 16 Apr. 2026
The front of the top was cropped, while extra fabric floated in ruffles at the back.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 11 Apr. 2026
The plan, reported in January in The Age newspaper, has been floated by the three most powerful and richest cricket nations - India, Australia and England who would be part of a top tier consisting of seven teams.
—Tristan Lavalette, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Some Republicans have also floated adding more defense funding and a change to capital gains taxes to adjust for inflation.
—Cate Martel, The Hill, 20 Apr. 2026
United may have taken the bigger hit after American shot down the notion of merger with its rival, which was reportedly floated by United's CEO last week at the White House.
—ABC News, 19 Apr. 2026
It was floated unsuccessfully in 2014 and resurfaced in 2019 following Ken Griffin’s record-setting apartment purchase but ultimately stalled amid pushback from industry groups, including the Real Estate Board of New York.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 17 Apr. 2026
According to the Reuters piece and other accounts, Kirby floated the joining-of-forces concept directly to the president.
—Shawn Tully, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2026
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent publicly floated the idea at Semafor World Economy on Monday.
—Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 16 Apr. 2026
The front of the top was cropped, while extra fabric floated in ruffles at the back.
—Meg Walters, InStyle, 11 Apr. 2026
The plan, reported in January in The Age newspaper, has been floated by the three most powerful and richest cricket nations - India, Australia and England who would be part of a top tier consisting of seven teams.
—Tristan Lavalette, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for floated
Verb
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Water levels hovered around 7 inches below the top of the dam Saturday at the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex in Northern Michigan, after having spiked less than 6 inches from the top of the dam earlier in the week.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
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The Brent Crude front month contract hovered around $90, down more than 5% from just hours earlier, as Wall Street got set to open for trading.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
And his mind has wandered, naturally, to old teammates who could become new again.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
19 Apr. 2026
-
In February 2019, a few weeks after celebrating her 100th birthday, Mildred Hernandez, a resident with Alzheimer's, wandered out of Greenhaven in the middle of the night.—
Jordan Rau,
NPR,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But even before that nautical narrative of a reality show sailed into his life, the Australia native spent 30 years in the shipping/boating/charter industries.—
Rod Stafford Hagwood,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex then sailed around Sydney Harbor with Invictus Australia.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Scientists have studied giant octopus relatives that roamed when dinosaurs were around, and researched some small octopuses that drilled into clams.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
My father roamed from the Beverly Hills Hilton to Chateau Marmont, arguing the case for his best Chardonnays.—
Maddie Connors,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Although San Francisco Bay is cold, the fitness icon Jack La Lanne once swam to the island pulling a rowboat, and several children also made the swim.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
-
At the event, children could make paper at an activity table and experience animals inside the museum, including Augie, a red-eared slider turtle, who swam to the surface briefly when visitors peered into the pool.—
Karie Angell Luc,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Smoke from the fires has drifted far beyond South Georgia, with residents in Atlanta and across the metro area reporting a strong smell of burning and hazy skies.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Smoke has drifted hundreds of miles across the Southeast, pushing air quality into unhealthy ranges for vulnerable residents from Atlanta to South Carolina.—
Emilie Megnien,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Last Tuesday, the fashion designer strolled in a very different location.—
Randee Dawn,
Variety,
20 Apr. 2026
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When LaBeija, as Gus the Theatre Cat, finally strolled onstage to revisit his glory days, waggling his long, polished claws, a younger Gus (Jonathan Burke) appeared, like a mirror dancing toward him.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Emily Cassarino went 4-for-4 with two doubles, a triple and a grand slam as North Reading cruised over Cape Ann League opponent Newburyport 23-1.—
Brian Roach,
Boston Herald,
10 Apr. 2026
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Before the final, Michigan had cruised through the NCAA Tournament, winning by an average of more than 20 points per game.—
Tim Rohan,
NBC news,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Floated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/floated. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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