as in floating
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hovering
Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 9 Jan. 2026
Half of Jewish Americans ages 18-34 believe Israel has committed genocide in Gaza; that percentage number is hovering in the 30s among older groups, according to a September 2025 poll by the Washington Post.
—Joseph Strauss, Sun Sentinel, 9 Jan. 2026
With crude oil hovering at around $57 a barrel, the return on investment doesn’t justify the risk.
—Nolan Finley, Twin Cities, 9 Jan. 2026
The thermal footage shared by Noem of one of the missions shows a helicopter hovering over Motor Tanker Sophia and armed troops walking up a set of stairs.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
And that was especially true as recently as 2023 or 2024, when rates were hovering near their highest level since 2000.
—Matt Richardson, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
The vaccine has kept the number of cases low, mostly hovering around 100 each year for the past few decades.
—Jerome Adams, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
That time, the fire department fought back with an almost orchestral force — convoys of trucks, helicopters hovering low in the smoke, tankers trailing lines of crimson retardant through the canyons.
—Jonathan Taplin, Rolling Stone, 7 Jan. 2026
This feels and looks top market to me while hovering at a price point that feels reasonable for a lifetime piece.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
The vessel is capable of station keeping and hovering.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 9 Jan. 2026
Half of Jewish Americans ages 18-34 believe Israel has committed genocide in Gaza; that percentage number is hovering in the 30s among older groups, according to a September 2025 poll by the Washington Post.
—Joseph Strauss, Sun Sentinel, 9 Jan. 2026
With crude oil hovering at around $57 a barrel, the return on investment doesn’t justify the risk.
—Nolan Finley, Twin Cities, 9 Jan. 2026
The thermal footage shared by Noem of one of the missions shows a helicopter hovering over Motor Tanker Sophia and armed troops walking up a set of stairs.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
And that was especially true as recently as 2023 or 2024, when rates were hovering near their highest level since 2000.
—Matt Richardson, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
The vaccine has kept the number of cases low, mostly hovering around 100 each year for the past few decades.
—Jerome Adams, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
That time, the fire department fought back with an almost orchestral force — convoys of trucks, helicopters hovering low in the smoke, tankers trailing lines of crimson retardant through the canyons.
—Jonathan Taplin, Rolling Stone, 7 Jan. 2026
This feels and looks top market to me while hovering at a price point that feels reasonable for a lifetime piece.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 7 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hovering
Verb
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Three days later, two fishermen found a girl's body floating in a canal in the area.—
Nicole Acosta,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
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Design details throughout the rental reflect its origins, including a floating stone corner fireplace and retro tiling—you’ll find plenty of color palette inspiration.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Max Houser 6-Tier Hanging Closet Shelf Instantly create more hanging space with this fabric shelving unit that makes use of otherwise dead vertical space.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Dec. 2025
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Of the other methods – including electrocution, lethal gas and hanging – lethal injection had the highest botch rate of more than 7%. ‘An embrace of brutality’ Still, states have remained averse to the firing squad, a position that experts who spoke to CNN believe stems from its overt violence.—
Dakin Andone,
CNN Money,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The finale then opens with a young Catherine preparing to go sailing with her parents and sister, Andrea (Savanna Gann).—
Derek Lawrence,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Jan. 2026
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Both ships are currently sailing westward to South Korea’s Port of Busan.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The big animals were still swimming as night fell and the hunters returned home.—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Jan. 2026
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Meanwhile, just some of the experiences left on her impressive list include visiting Vatican City, going on a cruise, running a marathon, swimming with dolphins and visiting the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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While American fans still love sports, younger ones are drifting away from watching full games to consume highlights on social media, so there are reasons to doubt that an old business model based on media rights growth will remain as lucrative.—
Adam Minter,
Twin Cities,
4 Jan. 2026
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By combining this information with precise motion data, the team could identify stars that once belonged to the cluster but are now drifting away.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Afternoons here are deliciously drowsy, spent dozing in the shade, gently parting calm sea water, or gliding past craggy rock formations in a little motor-boat.—
Rosalyn Wikeley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Jan. 2026
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That’s why the team turned to look into how these insects transition between jumping, flapping, and gliding.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Jones has played so well and has looked so poised, and the team has done such a solid job with him at the controls that there has been talk lately about a possible quarterback controversy brewing in the Bay Area.—
Robert Marvi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Nov. 2025
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Here was the postwar American housewife—neatly dressed, pretty, poised, active—stepping unwittingly into a scene of utter depravity and sadism that reflected back at this wholesome young mother the darkest recesses of the human mind.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hovering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hovering. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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