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

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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

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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

The city has completed a 2-megawatt solar array that floats on the Twin Lakes Reservoir, its primary drinking water source. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026 Amy is an extremely specific archetype within Wasia, a cosmopolite who floats through a stratosphere of international schools and three-city Instagram bios. — E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2026 The film’s score, composed by Emile Mosseri, floats in and out, naturally building a dreamlike state. — Cortlyn Kelly, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 2026 Boaters of all backgrounds will wade into the world of watercraft this weekend as the Orlando Boat Show floats into Central Florida. — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026 Lil Uzi Vert floats in and out of the beat, allowing the rhythm to do much of the work and creating a record that feels almost impossible to experience sitting still. — Brittney Williams, Billboard, 25 Aug. 2026 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

Noun

The Queen of the Lake floats on Lake Union, with a three-sided moorage and city views. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 15 Sep. 2026 On September 17, the Latino Heritage Month Parade is an explosion of color and joy as floats and participants weave their way through downtown in show of Latino pride. — Ashlyn Ware, Midwest Living, 15 Sep. 2026 In the case of nano floats, the supply is low and the space can quickly become overcrowded. — David Capablanca, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026 The Rich Township band, however, made up for a scarcity of floats. — Jerry Shnay, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2026 On Labor Day 2025, Zohran Kwame Mamdani enjoyed Brooklyn’s West Indian American Day Parade, grooving on various floats as an assemblyman representing Astoria, Queens. — Reshma B, VIBE.com, 7 Sep. 2026 Outdoor adventures include nearby waterfalls, forest hikes, and rafting trips ranging from Class III floats to Class V whitewater. — Cu Fleshman, Travel + Leisure, 5 Sep. 2026 In the foreground, the telescope's payload adapter can be seen, while just behind, the orbital observatory floats into the blackness of space with its solar arrays still folded for launch. — Brett Tingley, Space.com, 31 Aug. 2026 The tournament showcases award-winning floral floats, marching bands and equestrian units. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for floats

Verb

Those sources said that Cultural Counsel’s workforce now hovers around 18.

— Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 17 Sep. 2026
Future Oscar-winning costume designer Sandy Powell hovers in the background and gives a brief interview, looking absurdly young.

— Jessica Kiang, Variety, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of hovers

Verb

Perhaps most telling of all, Stone cuts the character of Carlotta, a governess born to circus performers who wanders through the play like a lost clown, origin-less, amused, and sad.

— Sara Holdren, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
His storytelling wanders us through the city, from one seemingly unplanned pocket of interest to another—what a media or urban critic (and Wilson is both) might call a dérive.

— Lila Allen, Architectural Digest, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of wanders

Noun

Some of the mansions even come with private tunnels running under A1A, allowing residents to reach their docks without emerging to cross the two-lane road.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2026
And some waterfront residents have been known to illegally destroy wild rice plants near their docks intentionally to make room for their boats.

— Frank Vaisvilas, jsonline.com, 9 Sep. 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

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

That subjectivity and secrecy over how a winner is selected also builds suspense, particularly in the years that follow an era dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, where a deeper pool of candidates now swims.

— Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Getting there is critical for a species that, though removed from endangered status, still swims in only about a tenth of its historic range in the state, Rees said.

— Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of swims

Verb

Our low, bargelike vessel drifts serenely, unhurriedly along the brown river.

— Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026
Like the Argentinian, Mora drifts freely between the lines, demanding the ball from team-mates before driving purposefully at goal.

— Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of drifts

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floating

floats

floaty

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“Floats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/floats. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of floats

verb

noun

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