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

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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

Oasis Meu's new floating home pairs a spacious three-story living area with an innovative electric propulsion system. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 16 Sep. 2026 D3Energy has already completed floating arrays for Del-Co Water in Delaware and the City of Lima at Twin Lakes Reservoir. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for floating

Recent Examples of Synonyms for floating

Adjective

Though now, the campus is shifting more digital to stay financially afloat and keep up with a changing educational landscape.

— Lacey Beasley, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
At one point, Georgia O’Keeffe had to convince her own dealer, Edith Herbert, to buy some of Kusama’s work to keep her afloat.

— Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of afloat

Verb

But Cress points out that for news helicopters, and police choppers, hovering and maintaining low altitude is a common practice.

— Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
As a major energy importer with global oil prices hovering above 100 dollars per barrel, the Indian rupee has dropped near its lowest level against the dollar since late July.

— , CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of hovering

Verb

That uncanny feeling of wandering through left-behind cities has made for its own niche tourist appeal, and natural elements that overtake these towns in the absence of human residents add another layer of intrigue.

— Charlotte Collins, Architectural Digest, 15 Sep. 2026
Marietta police have charged the 22-year-old caregiver of a 3-year-old boy found wandering alone on a road on Monday afternoon.

— Dan Raby, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of wandering

Verb

The 91-meter (298-foot) Alsu is an oil or chemical tanker sailing from Kocaeli, east of Istanbul, to Aliaga on the Aegean coast, according to the Marine Traffic website.

— ABC News, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026
The tanker was sailing in the southern shipping lane close to the Omani coast, the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said in a post on Tuesday, Asia time.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of sailing

Verb

Colorado officials report twice as many bear sightings and conflicts with humans this year compared with the average, including bears roaming where they aren't normally found.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026
But for some odd reason, cats just are not viewed in the same way, especially free-roaming cats.

— Adam Tschorn, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of roaming

Verb

Winter also brings memorable encounters with whales across Australia, including swimming with dwarf minke whales along the Great Barrier Reef from June through July and spotting migrating humpbacks along the east coast from May through October.

— Stuart Rigg, Travel + Leisure, 4 Sep. 2026
Grace said her family frequently went swimming together and that Malachi, the youngest of four children, particularly loved the water.

— Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of swimming

Verb

Miami took control of the game from its first offensive drive and never looked back, subbing in the backups by the end of the third quarter and cruising to its first win of the season.

— Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 5 Sep. 2026
However, Scholes noted parts of the industry, such as river cruising, aren’t feeling those same impacts.

— Nathan Diller, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of cruising

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Style

“Floating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/floating. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of floating

adjective

verb

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