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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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of hovering
Richard Edwards, Space.com, 1 June 2026
This is surprising for something that is supposed to require less hovering, especially if the host is out of hearing range of the device's alerts.
—New Atlas, 20 Feb. 2026
Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 June 2026
But the plumes, cast-offs from the coast of Africa’s Saharan Desert, hovering a mile or so above the earth’s surface and moving routinely across the tropical North Atlantic Ocean, can suppress tropical activity like hurricanes.
—Howard Cohen
june 1, Miami Herald, 1 June 2026
The Toronto Blue Jays are hovering around a losing record, just a few months after reaching Game 7 of the World Series.
—Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
The Golden Knights are only hovering around break-even in xG through three rounds.
—Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 31 May 2026
Recent polls have put Steyer in a near-dead-heat with Republican front-runner Hilton, both hovering slightly above or below 20%.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
And that's just while hovering in place!
—Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 May 2026
The weather is being driven by a heat dome—a block of high pressure that traps hot air—hovering over Western Europe.
—Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 29 May 2026
On the other end of the spectrum, Atlanta, Dallas and Orlando, Florida were below national averages for pet spending, hovering around 10% less.
—Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 28 May 2026
Adjective
He-Man was now a jolly, quip-ready hero, whose best friends were scaredy-cat Cringer (a green-and-yellow tiger who transformed into Battle Cat), and an annoying, hovering magician called Orko.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 1 June 2026
This is surprising for something that is supposed to require less hovering, especially if the host is out of hearing range of the device's alerts.
—New Atlas, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
The search features display the fare code and the number of seats left in that fare class, and travelers can view more details about each fare class by hovering over the search result.
—Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 June 2026
But the plumes, cast-offs from the coast of Africa’s Saharan Desert, hovering a mile or so above the earth’s surface and moving routinely across the tropical North Atlantic Ocean, can suppress tropical activity like hurricanes.
—Howard Cohen
june 1, Miami Herald, 1 June 2026
The Toronto Blue Jays are hovering around a losing record, just a few months after reaching Game 7 of the World Series.
—Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
The Golden Knights are only hovering around break-even in xG through three rounds.
—Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 31 May 2026
Recent polls have put Steyer in a near-dead-heat with Republican front-runner Hilton, both hovering slightly above or below 20%.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
And that's just while hovering in place!
—Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 May 2026
The weather is being driven by a heat dome—a block of high pressure that traps hot air—hovering over Western Europe.
—Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 29 May 2026
On the other end of the spectrum, Atlanta, Dallas and Orlando, Florida were below national averages for pet spending, hovering around 10% less.
—Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 28 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hovering
Verb
-
This year, thousands of fans will be floating in spectator boats right beside the race, close enough to feel the spray and hear the hydrofoil.—
Steve Overmyer,
CBS News,
27 May 2026
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To pay more homage to Drac, a scary fire-breathing replica is paraded through Palma religious festivals and last year an artist’s floating sculpture of a 10-foot Drac was permanently installed in the lake below La Seu Cathedral.—
Norma Meyer,
Oc Register,
27 May 2026
Adjective
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Opt for bigger hanging bulbs, discrete flickers, or even hanging sheaths.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
3 Apr. 2026
-
To maintain the immersive illusion, Iñárritu eschewed traditional hanging fabric.—
Robert Lang,
Deadline,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Among the new lines sailing in Alaska are MSC, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Virgin Voyages.—
Josh Rivera,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
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The Michigan couple, both US nationals, had been sailing together for more than a decade, documenting their life at sea on social media.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
27 May 2026
Adjective
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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
Verb
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As for the fish, which was reportedly found swimming in a plastic container in Irizarry’s backpack, it was taken to the Flagler County Humane Society.—
Sean Joseph OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
31 May 2026
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Born April 20, 1959, in Sittard, Netherlands, Hof has set multiple Guinness World Records for cold endurance including running a barefoot half-marathon above the Arctic Circle, climbing to 7,400 meters on Mount Everest in shorts and swimming under ice.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Although Nilsson would likely disagree, her work affirms that all of us are drifting toward oblivion, with the best days of our lives like so much confetti in the wind.—
Jeremy Lybarger,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
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The placement of the bite suggests the whale was likely scavenged after death, its body drifting belly-up through ancient seas.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Adjective
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Growing up a ballet dancer, Geier is very poised, mindful, and demure.—
Laura Sirikul,
Forbes.com,
7 May 2026
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So my oldest, Richard, is super poised and has always sort of been the rock for our family.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hovering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hovering. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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