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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Despite these limitations, there is promise in these floating amoebas. — Sam Lubell, Curbed, 21 Sep. 2026 The property also has a private landing stage, from which canal tours and even floating dinners can be arranged. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for floating

Recent Examples of Synonyms for floating

Adjective

Through a long winter, more young players will be forced to sell off pieces of their future just to stay afloat.

— Chris Koras, Sportico.com, 28 Sep. 2026
There are no grand revelations here, just cups of tea, glasses of wine, difficult clients, bad jokes, old songs, and the small acts through which people keep one another afloat.

— Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of afloat

Verb

With the 10-year treasury yield hovering around 5% and bond prices falling, investors who bought bond mutual funds or ETFs when yields were lower may be sitting on unrealized losses within their portfolio.

— Cheryl Winokur Munk, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2026
Yes, the Whitney will have a gigantic 32-foot-by-25 1⁄2-foot Lichtenstein–by–Da Corte hovering over the Meatpacking District.

— Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of hovering

Verb

The half-day Istanbul tour was amazing, with a visit to Zeyrek Mosque, exploring the Basilica Cistern, and wandering the Spice Market, alive with the most fragrant foodstuffs.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
More hours won’t help if your attention has started wandering and your patience is gone.

— Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of wandering

Verb

More cruise ships like Oceania Marina and Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot are sailing to remote destinations like Sisimiut, Narsaq, and Disko Island.

— CNT Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026
Mandel took the sentiment a step further, comparing Cowell’s absence to sailing without the person normally steering the ship.

— Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of sailing

Verb

More energetic outdoor activities include swimming in the saltwater pool, walking or jogging on the Deck 15 track, paddle tennis, golf cages, and a mini-golf course.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
Two-foot-long cutthroat trout swimming en masse up rivers for only a few weeks each year, turns out, are a siren’s song for anglers from around the world.

— Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of swimming

Verb

The bay facing the western shore of Newfoundland is the mouth—the gaping estuary—of the Saint Lawrence, Newfoundland on the chart detached and apparently drifting out to sea.

— Paul Theroux, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026
By contrast, heart rate barely moved during the control trial, drifting from 85 to 80 bpm.

— Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of drifting

Verb

The British yard, which revealed its first catamaran at the Cannes Yachting Festival in early September, today unveiled a new flagship sailing superyacht that combines elegant design and meticulous craftsmanship with bluewater cruising capability.

— Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 24 Sep. 2026
After a dismal outing on Sunday, the Indiana Fever got their spark back on Tuesday, cruising to a 96–77 win over the league-best Minnesota Lynx in their final game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse of the regular season.

— Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of cruising

Browse Nearby Words

floated

floating

floats

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Floating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/floating. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of floating

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

argot

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes