Synonyms of gliding

gliding 1 of 3

adjective

as in hovering

Related Words

• hovering
• sailing
• hanging
• drifting
• wafting
• poised
• floating
• free-floating
• buoyant
• floaty
• afloat
• awash
• unsinkable

Dissimilar Words

• sinking
• sunk
• high and dry
• aground

gliding

2 of 3

noun

as in soaring

Related Words

• soaring
• ballooning
• paragliding
• skydiving
• hang gliding
• aeronautics
• flying
• aviation
• flight

gliding

3 of 3

verb

present participle of glide

1

as in flowing

to move or proceed smoothly and readily

looking for a college course that he could just glide through

Synonyms & Similar Words

• flowing
• cruising
• drifting
• sliding
• sailing
• flying
• brushing
• slipping
• rolling
• sweeping
• coasting
• racing
• bowling
• speeding
• streaming
• rushing
• skimming
• whisking
• breezing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• struggling
• floundering
• stumbling
• trudging
• shuffling
• plodding
• limping
• lumbering
• stamping
• stomping
• laboring
• tramping
• toiling
• shambling
• stumping

2

as in flying

to move through the air with or as if with outstretched wings

a kite gliding on the autumn breeze

Synonyms & Similar Words

• flying
• hovering
• floating
• sailing
• soaring
• drifting
• winging
• planing
• fluttering
• darting
• aviating
• wafting
• flitting
• coasting
• sweeping
• hanging
• cruising
• orbiting
• diving
• rocketing
• stooping
• helicoptering
• catapulting
• jetting

3

as in floating

to rest or move along the surface of a liquid or in the air

water striders gliding along the surface of the brook

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hovering
• floating
• sailing
• swimming
• drifting
• riding
• hanging
• bobbing
• wafting
• dangling
• poising
• suspending
• rafting
• buoying
• ballooning

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• settling
• sinking
• diving
• plunging
• lunging
• dipping
• submerging
• immersing
• submersing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of gliding

Adjective

In addition, the action includes top-tier spider combat and awesome web-slinging and web-gliding traversal abilities. — George Yang, PC Magazine, 1 May 2026

Noun

The steady, gliding images, part surveillance, part concern, suggest a de-evolution. — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026

Denise's first introduction to viewers was on WJZ's 'Evening Magazine' where she was known as 'Daring Denise' tackling sports from hang-gliding to scuba. — CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026

Visitors especially enjoy paragliding and hang-gliding in the area, as well as canoeing and hiking all around the Valley. — Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 28 July 2026

And in 2022, Ristroph studied the surpassingly complex aerodynamics of what makes a good paper airplane—specifically what is needed for smooth gliding. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 13 July 2026

This week, the moon will be visible gliding silently through the daytime sky from today (April 22), up until the next full moon phase on May 1. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 22 Apr. 2026

Perfect for children’s bedrooms and play spaces, these favorably reviewed linen-blend curtains feature grommets for effortless gliding and breezy stripes in 27 colors that are equally kid- and grownup-friendly. — Shoko Wanger, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2025

The team showed that this gliding persists down to –15 degree Celsius, setting a new benchmark for cellular motility in complex, nucleus-bearing organisms. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2025

Five-foot-10 and 170 pounds in his prime, Rondell was known for his daring diving, gymnastic and hang-gliding skills. — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 16 Aug. 2025

Verb

There’s something comfortingly surreal about gliding around on a block of ice underneath palm trees in 80-plus degree weather. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 13 Nov. 2026

But one ride—which feels more like gliding—is included, and so are all the curious looks from those who watch and wonder who is traveling in style. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Nov. 2026

That means that for most of the year, guests are gliding right past the Christmas-heavy overlays. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2026

At times jutting outward and at others gliding along the grain of electronic texture, Chen’s voice tracks the form of the instrumentals like a sculptor working in relief. — James Gui, Pitchfork, 4 Nov. 2026

It is carried to high speed and altitude by a rocket booster before separating and gliding through the atmosphere toward its target. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2026

Elon Musk touted the deal as a sign of SpaceX’s strength, gliding over its eye-watering cost. — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026

After a brief safety lesson on navigating the course and its cables, participants can ride a zip line into the park, gliding 60 feet above the quarry floor at speeds exceeding 30 mph. — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026

With a pair of real horns, one of them plays the bull by gliding toward the fuchsia bullfighting cape. — Eyder Peralta, NPR, 15 Oct. 2026