FLOATING Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

floating 1 of 2

adjective

ˈflō-tiŋ

Definition of floating

as in afloat

riding upon the surface of a body of liquid the wreckage remained floating for hours

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

floating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of float

as in hovering

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in wandering

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

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 floating

Adjective

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 The boat, a single motorboat, was found floating and half-submerged near the Harbor One Marina. — Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 3 Sep. 2024

Verb

The latest advances in their floating screen tech have suddenly been revealed by being nominated for a major industry award for emerging technology. — New Atlas, 30 July 2026 The District of Muskoka in Ontario, Canada, is one of the most unique places Keen Ruffalo has ever been, and that’s not only because the JW Marriott there has North America’s only floating pickleball court. — Leigh Nordstrom, Footwear News, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for floating

Recent Examples of Synonyms for floating

Adjective

Four legs take water Unlike fishing spiders, QuadBoat does not rely on surface tension to stay afloat.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 24 July 2026
These sorts of subscriptions can add up quickly for consumers, adding recurring expenses at a time when many are struggling to stay afloat.

— P.R. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 17 July 2026

Definition of afloat

Verb

But the new flare-up saw oil prices surge again, with the international benchmark Brent crude oil hovering around $90 a barrel early Thursday.

— Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 30 July 2026
Three delivery options During the demonstration, Chaparral first released a 68-pound payload while hovering over the target area.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 July 2026

Definition of hovering

Verb

And the wandering king’s son and heir, Telemachus (Tom Holland), is convinced his father is still alive and sets off to find him.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 1 Aug. 2026
Natalie, meanwhile, finds Zack wandering back toward the house, unharmed, having simply walked out of rehab.

— JP Mangalindan, Time, 31 July 2026

Definition of wandering

Verb

On Tuesday, July 28, the Viking Ullur ship was sailing down the Danube River, Europe’s second-longest river that flows from southwestern Germany to the Black Sea.

— Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 30 July 2026
That connection comes into focus on the Lake-to-Estate Voyage, sailing from the Kelowna Yacht Club to three of the city’s best vineyards and tracing the journey from water to wine.

— Lisa Kadane, Travel + Leisure, 29 July 2026

Definition of sailing

Verb

Kat and Aesha take the guests swimming in some nearby caves while the rest of the crew holds down the fort.

— Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 4 Aug. 2026
Sanchez said that the ruling had been intentionally misconstrued by migrant smugglers to convince thousands of people to cross by swimming around the border fence.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of swimming

Verb

There’s little sense of forward motion in these tracks, but even when simply drifting in place, the blend of atmosphere and physicality—sunset glow meets seismic throb—is payoff enough.

— Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 4 Aug. 2026
The capital is drifting down-market, into hands-on companies.

— Louis Mosca, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of drifting

Verb

If cruising the coastline (on two or four wheels) is on your wish list, cars can access the private 17-Mile Drive via multiple gates.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Aug. 2026
Solo cruising on a large ship takes a little planning, even for an extrovert like me.

— Belinda Luksic, Southern Living, 31 July 2026

Definition of cruising

Browse Nearby Words

floated

floating

floats

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Floating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/floating. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of floating

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on floating

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

colloquial

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes