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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 hovered
Kansas City's brisk temperatures hovered in the low 50s as the red-and-gold looked to extend its winning record.
—
Bryan West, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
The number of murders attributed to the Boston Strangler has long hovered around 13 women, killed between June 14, 1962, and January 1964, all in the greater Boston area.
—Jane Lacroix, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
After midnight on September 30th, helicopters hovered above a large Chicago apartment building, and heavily armored agents rappelled from the choppers onto the roof.
—Veralyn Williams, NPR, 25 Oct. 2025
Her face hovered over me, dark, young, tense.
—Literary Hub, 24 Oct. 2025
After a decade in which growth hovered around 3% annually, 2026 is the fourth consecutive year where costs have surpassed that mark.
—Alana Semuels, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
Medical assistants from Nepal, Myanmar, Somalia, and Afghanistan greeted patients; the average wait time hovered around 10 minutes.
—Helen Ouyang, The Atlantic, 21 Oct. 2025
Lately, its stock price has hovered around a thousand dollars a share.
—Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
As stocks extend last week’s gains, Jim Cramer is closely watching the 10-year Treasury yield, which hovered at 4% Monday.
—Paulina Likos, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2025
Bryan West, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
The number of murders attributed to the Boston Strangler has long hovered around 13 women, killed between June 14, 1962, and January 1964, all in the greater Boston area.
—Jane Lacroix, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
After midnight on September 30th, helicopters hovered above a large Chicago apartment building, and heavily armored agents rappelled from the choppers onto the roof.
—Veralyn Williams, NPR, 25 Oct. 2025
Her face hovered over me, dark, young, tense.
—Literary Hub, 24 Oct. 2025
After a decade in which growth hovered around 3% annually, 2026 is the fourth consecutive year where costs have surpassed that mark.
—Alana Semuels, Time, 22 Oct. 2025
Medical assistants from Nepal, Myanmar, Somalia, and Afghanistan greeted patients; the average wait time hovered around 10 minutes.
—Helen Ouyang, The Atlantic, 21 Oct. 2025
Lately, its stock price has hovered around a thousand dollars a share.
—Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
As stocks extend last week’s gains, Jim Cramer is closely watching the 10-year Treasury yield, which hovered at 4% Monday.
—Paulina Likos, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hovered
Verb
-
Several names have been floated as possible replacements for Kelly in Baton Rouge.—
Matt Audilet,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Baumgartner floated a similar measure in April as part of his Restore College Sports Act.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The goalie made a shoulder save on a wrist shot by captain Jared Spurgeon, but the rebound sailed high into the air, then landed in the crease.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Kasay’s ensuing 45-yard kick sailed just wide right.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In a stream of southern China filled with plant debris, a pinkish river creature with wrinkly lips swam through the murk, perhaps searching for a meal or a mate.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
27 Oct. 2025
-
The incident comes days after a family in Massachusetts similarly swam ashore to a nearby island off the coast of Cape Cod.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The coal drifted from Plumas County and into Butte County, said Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire during a Placer County Board of Supervisors meeting in August.—
Ishani Desai,
Sacbee.com,
30 Oct. 2025
-
The transients do not seem to be particles of nuclear fallout that have drifted down onto the photographic plate either, since such particles would produce foggy, diffuse spots, not pinpoint, star-like objects.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Porter, who was wearing forest-green DaddyGoFish waders, glided into the waist-deep rapids and walked a line between them, periodically dipping small plastic bottles into the water and then depositing them into a mesh bag.—
Katie Thornton,
New Yorker,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Chiles glided around the dance floor in the Mia T-Bar heels by International Dance Shoes in a tan shimmer color.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hovered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hovered. Accessed 2 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share