as in floated
to rest or move along the surface of a liquid or in the air
claimed that the UFO hovered a moment, then spun off into space at incredible speed
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Recent Examples of hovered
Water levels hovered around 7 inches below the top of the dam Saturday at the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex in Northern Michigan, after having spiked less than 6 inches from the top of the dam earlier in the week.
—
Paula Wethington, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
The Brent Crude front month contract hovered around $90, down more than 5% from just hours earlier, as Wall Street got set to open for trading.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2026
The 500-member gauge hovered near a technical correction zone in late March as the Iran war pushed up oil prices and inflation expectations.
—Geoffrey Morgan, Bloomberg, 15 Apr. 2026
The Heat long have hovered around elite talent that might become available.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 14 Apr. 2026
The storm hovered in place until the early morning of April 11, before settling on a northwesterly track over the next several days.
—John P. Rafferty, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Apr. 2026
The price of Brent crude oil, the international standard, hovered Monday just under $100 per barrel.
—Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
The other hovered near the flat space where her breast had been.
—Keith M. Bellizzi, The Conversation, 13 Apr. 2026
But the 2026 Faces of Death is actually really good, and having a better understanding of the original — including the controversy that has hovered around it for decades — will only bolster your appreciation of the delicate balancing act that Goldhaber and co-writer Isa Mazzei have pulled off.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026
Paula Wethington, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
The Brent Crude front month contract hovered around $90, down more than 5% from just hours earlier, as Wall Street got set to open for trading.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2026
The 500-member gauge hovered near a technical correction zone in late March as the Iran war pushed up oil prices and inflation expectations.
—Geoffrey Morgan, Bloomberg, 15 Apr. 2026
The Heat long have hovered around elite talent that might become available.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 14 Apr. 2026
The storm hovered in place until the early morning of April 11, before settling on a northwesterly track over the next several days.
—John P. Rafferty, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Apr. 2026
The price of Brent crude oil, the international standard, hovered Monday just under $100 per barrel.
—Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
The other hovered near the flat space where her breast had been.
—Keith M. Bellizzi, The Conversation, 13 Apr. 2026
But the 2026 Faces of Death is actually really good, and having a better understanding of the original — including the controversy that has hovered around it for decades — will only bolster your appreciation of the delicate balancing act that Goldhaber and co-writer Isa Mazzei have pulled off.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hovered
Verb
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The agency has floated the idea of transitioning special-education services to Health and Human Services—the department, McMahon pointed out, that oversaw special education before Ed existed.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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Some Republicans have also floated adding more defense funding and a change to capital gains taxes to adjust for inflation.—
Cate Martel,
The Hill,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But even before that nautical narrative of a reality show sailed into his life, the Australia native spent 30 years in the shipping/boating/charter industries.—
Rod Stafford Hagwood,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex then sailed around Sydney Harbor with Invictus Australia.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Immediately, a 15-foot great white swam straight toward us.—
Michael H Gavshon,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Elsewhere in the photoshoot, Hosk swam in a pool, clad in a white graphic T-shirt and black underwear.—
Christina Perrier,
InStyle,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Smoke from the fires has drifted far beyond South Georgia, with residents in Atlanta and across the metro area reporting a strong smell of burning and hazy skies.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
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Smoke has drifted hundreds of miles across the Southeast, pushing air quality into unhealthy ranges for vulnerable residents from Atlanta to South Carolina.—
Emilie Megnien,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And the crowd stayed to watch as six hundred young skiers—many of whom were little girls, with glitter on their cheeks—glided around the ski track in the stadium and then stood there in a phalanx, an honor guard as Diggins took a ceremonial last lap.—
Bill McKibben,
New Yorker,
24 Mar. 2026
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After Joel Edmundson stepped up to hit Benson, Carrick scooped up the loose puck and glided across the crease for a backhand goal.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hovered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hovered. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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