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
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 12 May 2026
These funds invest in floating-rate instruments, which offer higher rates linked to a specific benchmark.
—Darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 12 May 2026
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 most orbit another star – just like Earth orbits the sun – some, called rogue planets, are floating through the cosmos untethered.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 12 May 2026
These funds invest in floating-rate instruments, which offer higher rates linked to a specific benchmark.
—Darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for floating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for floating
Adjective
-
During the Great Depression, the business stayed afloat while offering hot dogs for a nickel, chili for a dime and sometimes food for free.—
Anna Ortiz,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
-
The university has vowed to continue to draw from CU’s general fund to keep The Deion Sanders Experiment afloat.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Beaches, a nomination shut-out, was down $44,518 to $475,601, with attendance at the Majestic hovering around the 50% of capacity mark.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
12 May 2026
-
Operating under an experimental permit, the mission successfully transitioned the hydrogen-electric Robinson R44 from basic hovering to a complete airport traffic circuit.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
In other words, the object that reshaped the moon may have been a leftover planetary building block wandering inward from the outer rocky solar system during the chaotic era of planet formation.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
9 May 2026
-
For a glimpse of wildlife, ogle the bison wandering on the Wildlife Loop.—
Jess Hoffert,
Midwest Living,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
The ban will affect passengers sailing on Utopia of the Seas, which visits Nassau on Tuesday, plus Oasis of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas in port at CocoCay.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 May 2026
-
At the time of publication, the ship is sailing on a three- to four-day journey that began the evening of May 6 from Cape Verde to the Canary Islands, where Spanish authorities have agreed to assist the imperiled vessel.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
In a post on its website, the Humane Society said free-roaming rabbits that are used to living outdoors don’t often adapt well to being pets.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
11 May 2026
-
Villagers had allegedly complained that packs of stray dogs were often roaming the area before the incident occurred, per the outlet.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
State and federal authorities are investigating after a man was captured on video in Hawaii throwing a rock toward an endangered Hawaiian monk seal swimming off the coast of Lahaina, Maui.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
-
This spring, biologists saw 77 fish swimming around in the hole.—
Nell Greenfieldboyce,
NPR,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Smoke from the Max Road Fire was drifting north and northwest Monday morning due to a light southeast breeze.—
Sergio Candido,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
-
The moon spends the day drifting through the numinous and intuitive sign of Pisces, pulling our attention inward.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
The 364-foot Leviathan was delivered to the billionaire gaming visionary in November 2025, but was recently captured cruising the Bahamas by photographer Guillaume Plisson.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
6 May 2026
-
The driver of a truck for H&S Family of Bakeries was seen in the video cruising along the highway when the aircraft made impact.—
Clara McMichael,
ABC News,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Floating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/floating. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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