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
1
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
2
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
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Recent Examples of floating
Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2023
This tablet also comes with a full-sized floating keyboard that resembles Apple’s iPad Air and Pro Magic Keyboard.
—Patrick Moorhead, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2023
Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Mercedes-Maybach, along with Matthias Bosse’s Splendid Sea, revealed plans for a floating private members’ club at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show last week.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for floating
Adjective
The United States shot down three more floating objects in the following days, then announced that there was no sign that any of them were connected to China.
—Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2023
This tablet also comes with a full-sized floating keyboard that resembles Apple’s iPad Air and Pro Magic Keyboard.
—Patrick Moorhead, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2023
Verb
While no final decisions have been announced, the public floating of such a scenario is an escalation in rhetoric.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Mercedes-Maybach, along with Matthias Bosse’s Splendid Sea, revealed plans for a floating private members’ club at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show last week.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for floating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for floating
Adjective
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The new plan is cognizant of the need to maintain a strong manufacturing base, particularly among beleaguered industrial farms and other older industries struggling to stay afloat.—
Shaoyu Yuan,
The Conversation,
5 Nov. 2025
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The question has extra resonance at a time when local deficits and federal cuts are forcing leaders to make tough choices about which programs stay afloat.—
Blake Nelson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand (MASP) is not only an important museum in Latin America, its original building is also a cultural landmark dramatically hovering over Avenida Paulista.—
Jade Moyano,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
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Chicago Public Schools have had to move elementary school recess indoors after tear gas was deployed and teachers have complained of helicopters hovering over their schools, scaring students.—
Natasha Korecki,
NBC news,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Sheriff’s officials have said Chastain was intoxicated and wandering the neighborhood in the moments before the fatal attack.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
11 Nov. 2025
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Fall offers perfect weather for wandering through Wilmington's 230-block National Register Historic District, one of the largest in the country.—
Gabi De la Rosa,
Southern Living,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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After her inaugural season sailing the Caribbean this winter, the Star Princess will make the voyage through the Panama Canal to kick off a series of Alaska cruises in the summer of 2026.—
Mackenzie Schmidt,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
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The sessions will continue in the Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, a private island sanctuary in the Bahamas, where guests will learn about coral restoration and marine protection, before sailing the turquoise waters with Horn to see the importance of protecting the delicate underwater ecosystems.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The set-up inside the circle felt more like a rehearsal space, with the group clustered together while also roaming freely around the stage, playing to different parts of the audience.—
Daniel Dylan Wray,
Pitchfork,
5 Nov. 2025
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In the lead-up to Election Day, Sliwa has only ramped up his campaign, packing his schedule and roaming across all five boroughs.—
Naaman Zhou,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Domenic Biagini, who owns and operates Gone Whale Watching San Diego, captured footage of the massive group of dolphins, estimating that there were between 2,000 and 7,000 of the sea creatures swimming together.—
Michael Nied,
PEOPLE,
5 Nov. 2025
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Apparently, Princess Kate enjoys swimming in extremely cold streams and pools in the dark.—
Lauryn Overhultz , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The image above, a composite of eight days of observations taken in March when the spacecraft had its first clear view of the region, shows bright arcs sweeping around the pole — glowing traces left by magnetic structures drifting toward the sun's edge at unexpectedly high speeds.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
10 Nov. 2025
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Alex Iwobi, generally tasked with drifting inside from the flank and releasing a full-back on the overlap, started as a central midfielder.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Boise joined those cities in late October with the speed limit, which prevents riders in the busy 8th Street, Main Street and Idaho Street entertainment corridors from cruising at 15 mph.—
Shannon Tyler,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Nov. 2025
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Oceanwalker, a Chinese shipyard, typically builds a more plain-jane 60-foot catamaran for the charter market, but Revolution went through it with its designers to create a luxury-cruising version.—
Michael Verdon,
Robb Report,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Floating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/floating. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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