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
show current usage.
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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
Terry Ward, Travel + Leisure, 17 June 2026
Consider using a data removal service to reduce how much personal information is floating around online.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 17 June 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
Come summer, locals living in Bend, Oregon, love the warm-weather tradition of floating along the Deschutes River right through the gorgeous and outdoorsy Central Oregon town.
—Terry Ward, Travel + Leisure, 17 June 2026
Consider using a data removal service to reduce how much personal information is floating around online.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for floating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for floating
Adjective
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If there’s any big bugaboo in his profile, he can be beaten by higher-end velocity, but his ability to adjust to secondary offerings keeps him afloat.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
10 June 2026
-
The man, who has not been identified, was last seen in the water after assisting a woman who had been struggling to stay afloat.—
Anthony Thompson,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Given that the average credit card APR is hovering above 21% right now, even modest balances can become expensive to carry over time.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
-
Photos from the incident showed dozens of rescuers hovering over the narrow hole, which was roughly five feet wide, while lowering a ladder down to the man.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Nearly a year ago, Estrella was found wandering alone on the streets of Denver without access to necessities, including fresh water.—
Jasmine Arenas,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
-
Ray struggles to hide his drink, to get a drink, to get away on his own and pursue his Sisyphean labors of hammering a bucket of baseballs off a tee and then wandering through the field to collect them and start again.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Tehran retaliated by targeting ships sailing through the strait, effectively closing the sea lane and triggering the biggest oil supply disruption in history.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
17 June 2026
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Russia’s defense ministry said the crew fired warning shots several hundred yards in front of the yacht, which appeared to be sailing on a collision course with the vessel.—
Hira Humayun,
CNN Money,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Accessible only by passenger ferry or private boat, Georgia's largest and southernmost barrier island feels worlds away from the mainland, thanks to its maritime forests, expansive salt marshes, shimmering coastal waters, and wild horses roaming the dunes.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
14 June 2026
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Let Florida panthers resume roaming by night in one of the last swaths of wilderness left to them.—
Eve Samples,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 June 2026
Verb
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In April, Stephen Woods’ son-in-law, Ryan Jennings, was swimming with his two oldest children while on a family vacation in Florida when a rip current dragged them out.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
-
An Australian lifeguard helped rescue a woman who was critically injured by a white shark while swimming off a popular Sydney beach on Saturday.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
This means there are never any strangers drifting past your breakfast table or competing for loungers.—
Arion McNicoll,
TheWeek,
15 June 2026
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Keeping his thoughts from drifting too much, even about Cuba, has propelled his career forward.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
Verb
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Hop on a boat and spend the day cruising around the Cap d’Antibes and nearby Lérins Islands, where some of the best snorkeling in the French Riviera is at the underwater eco-museum’s sculptures off Sainte-Marguerite Island.—
Lane Nieset,
Travel + Leisure,
13 June 2026
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Parents are often told that cruising with kids means choosing the ship with the biggest slides, the best kids club, or the most beloved mouse.—
Ashlea Halpern,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Floating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/floating. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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