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
Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026
She was transported to one of the yard’s floating drydocks in Hamburg, where outfitting was complete, BI says.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 17 Feb. 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
The nonprofit group that owns it would like to move the SS Red Oak Victory near the visitor center of the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park, where the cargo ship – which has been transformed into a floating museum – is likely to draw more visitors.
—Sierra Lopez, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026
She was transported to one of the yard’s floating drydocks in Hamburg, where outfitting was complete, BI says.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for floating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for floating
Adjective
-
Cars were still given as parting gifts for retired employees, and hundreds of thousands of dollars continued to be spent on promotional events and videos — all while membership continued its downward spiral and the union’s pension fund struggled to stay afloat.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The bird was struggling to stay afloat.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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However, summer is typhoon season in Taiwan, and the weather is very toasty and muggy with highs regularly hovering around 90 degrees Fahrenheit.—
Mae Hamilton,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Feb. 2026
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Gold prices have been on a record-breaking roller coaster — after reaching an all-time high of more than $5,100 in late January, the precious metal's price has been hovering around the $5,000-per-ounce mark in mid-February.—
Liz Knueven,
CNBC,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Entrance is free, though a map will cost you about three pesos, so just show up and start wandering the mini walkways.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Think museums with marble floors, historic buildings, and hours spent wandering galleries.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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On March 7, 1949, researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) were stationed on a boat called the R/V Atlantis that was sailing off the coast of Bermuda.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
20 Feb. 2026
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The fleet comprises aging vessels and tankers owned by nontransparent entities with addresses in non-sanctioning countries, and sailing under flags from such countries.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Nearly a year ago, the car-sized robot – one of two NASA rovers roaming the red planet – came across an intriguing rock sample that contained some interesting features.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Thousands of agents are still roaming the streets, people are still being assaulted by federal law enforcement.—
Nik Popli,
Time,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For every young punk whose pedigree makes chasing mainstream attention feel a little like, say, nakedly swimming after a dollar on a fishing hook, there was someone else who saw it as an opportunity to escape their hometown and never look back.—
Sam Sodomsky,
Pitchfork,
14 Feb. 2026
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Homewood-Flossmoor’s Kendra Hayden was looking for something to fill her athletic downtime between swimming in the fall and water polo in the spring.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That experience of drifting and searching directly shaped the film’s narrative structure.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
15 Feb. 2026
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However, blowing and drifting snow producing significant visibility restrictions will continue above 6000 feet elevation, even during the break in snowfall.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In terms of broader wellness offerings, the property has complimentary bikes for cruising around the neighborhood, group meditation and sound bath sessions, morning yoga, and Sunday hikes to Tahquitz Canyon.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Feb. 2026
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These unique one-way sailings generally occur at the beginning or end of a cruising season (typically in the spring or fall) when ships need to return to their home ports.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Floating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/floating. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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