floating 1 of 2

Definition of floatingnext
as in afloat
riding upon the surface of a body of liquid the wreckage remained floating for hours

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

floating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of float

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
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
Oil tanker rates have soared in recent ​days due to tightness of ship availability and safety concerns, which have included the risk of floating mines. Reuters, NBC news, 24 June 2026 There is a lot of background information about us floating around on the internet, especially on social media, where our history of posts can add up to a detailed psychological profile. Robert Wright, Fortune, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for floating
Recent Examples of Synonyms for floating
Adjective
  • But those are optimistic goals for a regime that has proven unable or unwilling to keep its own economy afloat.
    David Goldman, CNN Money, 17 June 2026
  • 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
Verb
  • With credit card interest rates still hovering around 20%, this may be less a strategic move and more a mandatory one.
    Matt Richardson, CBS News, 23 June 2026
  • Attendance at the annual event has grown, Rodgers said, with attendance before the pandemic hovering around 3,000 but about 6,000 coming to the festival a year ago.
    David Sharos, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • My favorite part of my trip to Omaha, Nebraska, for the College World Series left me wandering in the middle of the night somewhere between the ballpark and my hotel.
    Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 20 June 2026
  • Police in Holly, Michigan, say an 18-month-old boy who was seen wandering on a Ring camera on Friday has been identified and located.
    DeJanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 19 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
  • 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
  • Bone Jovi spends much of his time roaming the galleries, greeting visitors and keeping watch over the collection.
    ABC News, ABC News, 22 June 2026
  • The San Jose Police Emerald Society Pipe and Drum band will be piping and drumming at Willow Glen Town Square on Lincoln Avenue, and a pop-up choir will be roaming VTA light-rail trains and stations throughout the day.
    Sal Pizarro, Mercury News, 21 June 2026
Verb
  • Quincy High School principal Keith Ford wrote in a letter to families obtained by CBS Boston that Costa was swimming at the Boston-area pond with his classmates, all of whom had just graduated on June 9.
    Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 22 June 2026
  • An activity that may seem leisurely, such as swimming in a river, could end up more dangerous if someone encounters an unexpected rip current.
    Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • The bedroom window was open wide, the char of campfire smoke drifting through.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 June 2026
  • Most concerning, according to an analysis by the San Diego County Taxpayers Association, is a 2026-27 spending plan that is balanced on paper but drifting steadily toward a structural deficit like the one that haunts the city of San Diego.
    Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 2026
Verb
  • The luxury lines Seabourn and Silversea both offer expedition cruising (on top of their traditional cruise products), and the luxury tour company Abercrombie & Kent also charters Ponant ships for expedition cruises to the polar regions.
    Scott Laird, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
  • The Sooners lost their opening game of the SEC tournament in May, but have lost just once since, cruising through the NCAA tournament en route to the program's first title game appearance since 2022.
    Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Floating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/floating. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.

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