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
New Atlas, 20 Feb. 2026
Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2026
The average price of gas is hovering at near $4 a gallon for regular.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 20 Apr. 2026
As a result, AI music streams account for a small share of Deezer usage, hovering around 1–3 percent.
—ArsTechnica, 20 Apr. 2026
As of Monday, crude oil prices were hovering around $95 per barrel, according to Business Insider.
—Sacbee.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Gas prices in the state have been hovering around $4 a gallon.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
The slide continued Friday despite gains in the broader market, with trading volume in Netflix shares at nearly twice normal levels, and shares hovering at around $97 in the session’s final hour.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2026
Search-and-rescue corpsmen were overhead, with a hovering helicopter squadron.
—Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 16 Apr. 2026
Shares of Allbirds soared more than 600% on Wednesday’s news and were hovering nearly $18 in late afternoon trading.
—Anne D’innocenzio, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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
Large black and yellow bees keep hovering around my wooden pergola.
—Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2026
The average price of gas is hovering at near $4 a gallon for regular.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 20 Apr. 2026
As a result, AI music streams account for a small share of Deezer usage, hovering around 1–3 percent.
—ArsTechnica, 20 Apr. 2026
As of Monday, crude oil prices were hovering around $95 per barrel, according to Business Insider.
—Sacbee.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Gas prices in the state have been hovering around $4 a gallon.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
The slide continued Friday despite gains in the broader market, with trading volume in Netflix shares at nearly twice normal levels, and shares hovering at around $97 in the session’s final hour.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2026
Search-and-rescue corpsmen were overhead, with a hovering helicopter squadron.
—Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 16 Apr. 2026
Shares of Allbirds soared more than 600% on Wednesday’s news and were hovering nearly $18 in late afternoon trading.
—Anne D’innocenzio, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hovering
Verb
-
The Los Angeles reservoir that was notoriously empty during the 2025 Palisades fire has been drained once again as crews replace its floating cover, to the dismay of area residents who worry that there won’t be water available to fight wildfires.—
Sandra McDonald,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The biopic has got other, far more pressing concerns on its mind, like the multitude of dollar signs floating before its eyes.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
The Euphoria later resumed sailing toward the Gulf of Oman, according to Lloyd’s List.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Ships sailing the Great Lakes are also designed for expedition-style travel, with a focus on education, science, and environmental awareness.—
Elaine Rojas-Castillo,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The stream rushed by, as clear and inviting as the nearby lake that their father forbade them from swimming in.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The young mallards were spotted swimming at the bottom of a gutter, 3 feet below a street on the outskirts of Chester, England, on Wednesday, April 22.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
These handsome galoots may cheat on their spouses or worse, but this allows the women to smolder in drifting chiffon.—
Libby Gelman-Waxner,
New Yorker,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Fillman and his diving instructor tapped into their survival instincts by dumping their heavy diving gear and tanks and tying themselves together with their remaining gear to prevent them from drifting apart.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The upcoming Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, concludes in 1988, with Jackson gliding across a London stadium stage, performing in that white T-shirt and black jacket full of zippers, as fans weep before him.—
Steve Knopper,
Rolling Stone,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The wear of this pick is also particularly lightweight, gliding on with a texture that sits at the convergence of an oil and balm.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
So my oldest, Richard, is super poised and has always sort of been the rock for our family.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
26 Mar. 2026
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Hovering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hovering. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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