FLOATS Synonyms: 69 Similar and Opposite Words

floats 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of float

as in hovers

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in wanders

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

floats

2 of 2

noun

plural of float

as in docks

a structure used by boats and ships for taking on or landing cargo and passengers the crew put the cargo on the float before heading back down the river

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 floats

Verb

Expect a night of dazzling sights, as costumed performers, puppets and floats make their way down Columbus Drive. — Jennifer Day, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026 Each night, Musgraves floats over the audience, cozily nestled in a giant set of disco ball Truck Nutz. — Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 After customers complained about the oil that floats to the top of natural peanut butter, the company created a plastic container that could sit upside-down on grocery store shelves, Dana says. — Megan Sauer, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026 Fukushima floats another possible benefit, one that might appeal to the easily queasy, this writer included. — New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2026 Named after the Victoria Regia, a water lily that floats in the Amazon, this hotel imbues Colombian flavor with elegant French touches. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Oct. 2026 Wrapped in a tough, drop-proof fabric shell that floats and shrugs off water, it is engineered to survive real-world chaos. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 28 Sep. 2026 Who actually needs digestive enzymes Signs of a genuine enzyme deficiency include diarrhea, stomach pain, bloating, unexplained weight loss and fatty or oily stool that floats. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 23 Sep. 2026 On the sundeck, for example, candy floats in the resin bar top and Murano glass sweets sit on the front of the hot tub. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 23 Sep. 2026

Noun

Entering the building is not unlike being back at university — the food hall is bustling, people nervously hug one another, and the sound of a live band rehearsing floats through the walls. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 25 Oct. 2026 If turkey floats, fill a 1-gallon resealable plastic bag with ice water and place it on top of turkey. — Alton Brown, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Oct. 2026 Outriggers at the tips of the wings act as floats to provide lateral stability. — IEEE Spectrum, 22 Oct. 2026 But on the day of the parade, despite all their precautions, a dead body is found on one of the floats. — Danielle Parker, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 Flames blast into the sky to illuminate costumed performers and elaborate street floats. — Julia Sayers Gokhale, Midwest Living, 14 Oct. 2026 Crowds will line the route to see floats, costumed actors, spectacular puppets and creative performances. — Doug George, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 Flat tax debate Still, threats to leave are the predictable response whenever a state floats taxing the wealthy. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026 The Queen of the Lake floats on Lake Union, with a three-sided moorage and city views. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 15 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for floats

Verb

Using photogammetry, a technique which renders 2D surfaces into 3D models, and game engines, Montoya directs a virtual drone that hovers over the ruins of cities and its strange, frozen residents.

— Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
As Indy hovers above us, for instance, his legs and hips subtly shift.

— Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of hovers

Verb

A bit later, Len wanders down to her place for coffee and their morning round of cards.

— Anne Kadet, Curbed, 14 Oct. 2026
Third place was Japanese director Sabu’s Arrested Memory, a crime caper about a detective with dementia who unwittingly wanders off with a multimillion-dollar ransom, sending cops and criminals on his trail.

— Glenn Garner, Deadline, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of wanders

Noun

The board of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources was considering whether to adopt regulations allowing private docks to extend to 1,500 feet in length — about the length of five football fields.

— AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Two docks provide pond access for kayaking and paddleboarding.

— Tori Latham, Robb Report, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of docks

Verb

Seabourn sails the 264-passenger Seabourn Venture and twin Seabourn Pursuit, two lavish all-suite polar-class expedition ships cruising remote itineraries, each with two submarines.

— Janice Wald Henderson, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026
Some of my favorites are coming back too, like El Pulpo Magnifico, Duane Flatmo's fire-breathing octopus, and the Monaco, a 40-foot ship with three masts that sails across dust instead of water.

— Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of sails

Verb

When the Farmer destroys the flock’s beloved pumpkin patch, Shaun turns mad scientist to fix the problem, only for events to spiral out of control as a wild beast roams the woods of Mossingham.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 20 Sep. 2026
Ripper Row — Jack the Ripper roams the streets in search of his next victim.

— Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of roams

Noun

But in 1820, Shippingport had about 600 residents, three wharves for steamboats, taverns and a flour mill.

— Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Aug. 2026
The redevelopment would change that by extending and upgrading existing wharves and dredging areas around the docks.

— David Nikel, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026

Definition of wharves

Verb

In the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska, the main target of commercial fishing boats is pollock, a medium-sized, mild fish that swims in fantastically vast schools.

— Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
During a seemingly regular day at camp, Jason swims too far and drowns as the other campers and staff look on helplessly.

— Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of swims

Verb

Rain chances are low — 10% to 25% — as the front drifts southward during the day.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2026
Around me, hands reach up timidly and then with more confidence, and then they are accompanied by applause that drifts from one side of the room to the other and back.

— Sam Kestenbaum, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of drifts

Browse Nearby Words

floating

floats

floaty

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Style

“Floats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/floats. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of floats

verb

noun

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