floats 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of float
1
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

2

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

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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
But as Ravyn Lenae floats into the midtown Manhattan studio on the release day of her third studio album, her energy creates a temporary oasis. Sidney Madden, VIBE.com, 19 Aug. 2026 The massive, 171-foot-tall (52 meters) spacecraft now floats just offshore of Christmas Island, awaiting inspection. Josh Dinner, Space.com, 18 Aug. 2026 Chichibu made its money in silk, because the basin is poor country for rice but good country for mulberry, and the silk paid for the enormous festival floats the town is known for. Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026 An island floats at the center of the ultra-modern kitchen with Bulthaup cabinetry, a six-burner Wolf range, and a Viking fridge. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 13 Aug. 2026 Continue reading … CIVIL WAR WITHIN — Carville floats idea of Dems shutting DSA out of political power in party. FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026 The teen was using an apparatus called a third lung, which floats on the water's surface and pumps air to divers through a breathing hose, the affidavit said. Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026 As each bubble traps more gas, its buoyancy increases until the bubble floats to the surface. Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Aug. 2026 While HoloHolo Grill is the only restaurant onsite, Kōloa Landing Resort does have a free-standing snack shack poolside serving shave ice and root beer floats along with a handy marketplace just off the lobby. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
Lines stretched out the door when Santa Barbara-founded chain McConnell’s reopened, with guests eager to try more than a dozen flavors, plus milkshakes, sundaes, ice cream sandwiches and floats. Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026 Haunted Mansion props on the parade floats will include the conservatory casket, cryptic gravestones, gargoyle candleholders, watchful busts, haunted armor and stretching room portraits. Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 18 Aug. 2026 Rio Grande River Trips, which leads six-mile floats, is a great place to start. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 18 Aug. 2026 Response to the creamery—its array of luscious ice creams in the form of cups, cones, shakes, floats, and sundaes—exceeded his expectations. Nancy Vienneau, Southern Living, 15 Aug. 2026 Now Nvidia is helping Wall Street turn compute itself into an investable asset capable of drawing on insurance floats, pension funds, and other long-duration savings. Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2026 Other messages, many of which have now disappeared, told people where to buy wet suits, flippers, goggles, floats, and even waterproof bags for documents and cellphones. Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 2 Aug. 2026 The event draws thousands of spectators to cheer on colorful floats, community groups and local organizations. Evan Moore august 1, Charlotte Observer, 1 Aug. 2026 The parade will include park characters and six floats designed by in-house Kennywood carpenters, artists and electricians, according to a park press release. Finch Walker, USA Today, 31 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for floats
Verb
  • As the Kimballs attempt to raise a ransom to get back their son, Gillian Anderson enters as a fixer, while Steven Yeun hovers as the political candidate’s campaign manager.
    Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Okemo hovers just above Ludlow center, in the winter outlines of trails stand out clear and white.
    Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 2 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • This one stars Cox himself as a mysterious and formidable old man in an undertaker’s suit and parson’s hat who wanders into an Arizona border town in 1890 to gather the names of dead Mexican laborers.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Sometimes, my mind wanders to a question that feels inconceivable.
    Ayana Lage, Vogue, 12 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Areas of discussion include plans for improved parking; a review of community needs, public spaces, and recreation opportunities; the restoration of the facility’s docks; and the future of the nearby basin, channel, and Baby Beach.
    Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Further afield lie a helipad and two private docks to facilitate comings and goings.
    Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 18 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Nelson’s mind quickly sails from cold floor-pragmatics to high theory.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The Jules Verne Trophy is awarded to the boat that sails non-stop fastest around the world.
    Andrew Rice, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Verb
  • Ellis’ autofiction book follows a group of high school students in 1980s Los Angeles as a serial killer roams the city.
    Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 19 Aug. 2026
  • North Carolina will be under the microscope as long as Bill Belichick roams the sidelines in Chapel Hill.
    Antonio Morales, New York Times, 5 June 2026
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
Verb
  • Their headlamps piercing the watery dark, the group swims along (only Sara has accepted a life jacket), admiring the bats and stalactites while Wat reminds them to respect the caves.
    Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
  • This is an all-consuming sport; Vingegaard often swims to escape the mouth of the whale.
    Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 21 July 2026
Verb
  • The topic momentarily drifts to Chuck D, who Hanna greatly admires.
    Kyle Eustice, SPIN, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Giulio, a dissatisfied 16-year-old, drifts through life with no enthusiasm for his education or his future, much to his family’s dismay (particularly his endlessly frustrated mother, brilliantly played by Monica Bellucci).
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Floats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/floats. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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