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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 8 Apr. 2026
On the other hand, there is a surprising amount of steel guitar floating through there.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 7 Apr. 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 kids watched with rapt attention as cameras carried them along for nearly the entire ride, even showing views of the floating drone ship awaiting the returning Falcon 9 booster.
—Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 8 Apr. 2026
On the other hand, there is a surprising amount of steel guitar floating through there.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for floating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for floating
Adjective
-
Both of them worked constantly, often pushing into overtime just to stay afloat.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
-
But even in countries with relative stability like Senegal or Djibouti, projects like Abdi Guelleh's farm have struggled to stay afloat.—
Julie Bourdin,
NPR,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
On platforms like PredictIt, traders have overwhelmingly favored Fuller, with confidence hovering near certainty levels in recent days.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
As of Tuesday, crude oil prices were hovering around $110 per barrel, according to Business Insider.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
These suede clog mules are an easy choice for everything, including early bakery runs, long travel days, and wandering through mountain towns.—
Paris Wilson,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The two-day search for a missing 12-year-old girl came to a surprising end when she was discovered wandering a Dollar General store, according to investigators in North Carolina.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Built in the Netherlands, sailing under the Liberian flag and operated by Germany’s Hammonia Reederei, the 441-foot ship docked at the Clure Public Marine Terminal to offload 33 pieces of cargo that will be transported overland to Alberta, Canada.—
Jay Gabler,
Twin Cities,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Three of the vessels were sailing under Iranian flags.—
NBC News,
NBC news,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The whole thing was a striking visual spectacle, too — waves of musicians rising from both sides, backup singers swaying and clapping, spotlights sweeping across the floor as a roaming camera zipped through the crowd like a drone that had just discovered country music.—
Theoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Other tips include not leaving pet food outside, not touching or feeding free-roaming animals, keeping yard landscaping trimmed, keeping lids on trash containers, and closing home crawlspaces.—
Julie Sharp,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The notation was curiously quaint, dots and curly tails swimming along like so many tadpoles.—
Tim Parks,
New Yorker,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The person swimming in the lane next to mine was doing the breaststroke and hit me with her leg, under the lane rope, on two consecutive laps.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The simulation is so immersive that windows, shaped like those of a plane, show drifting clouds as the room trembles with faux turbulence.—
Chris Malloy,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The music drifting in from outside filled the spaces between sobs.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As for Mitan, the yacht will now spend seven to eight months cruising south towards Mexico, calling at multiple anchorages along the way.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The Gears were cruising when the league declared bankruptcy and evaporated the next November.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Floating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/floating. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
