as in floats
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 hovers
The first three tracks proceed like this, with Rubio doing jazz runs through a gauntlet of chipmunk effects while the music hovers in midair as if sourced from a Galaxie 500 record stuck in a locked groove.
—
Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 10 Mar. 2026
Though much of his dip in performance last season can be tied to poor quarterback play and inconsistent pass protection from the offensive line, Hockenson hovers closer to the middle tier of tight ends.
—Zach Powell, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Even on overcast days, the intensity of daylight — which hovers between 10,000 and 100,000 lux — is far greater than that of the artificial lighting in your home, school or office, which ranges from 100 to 500 lux.
—Julia Ries Wexler, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2026
That door still hovers in my mind, the dark wood; dark, too, around the edges where light usually shone.
—Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
Today, that number hovers around 500.
—Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Finding one at depth in Antarctic water that hovers just above freezing puts this discovery in rare company.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 19 Feb. 2026
Total annual volume hovers around $4 billion, industry sources estimate.
—David Moin, Footwear News, 18 Feb. 2026
Its landmark suspension bridge, once a cattle-drive crossing on the Chisholm Trail, still hovers over the Brazos River as an echo of the city’s 19th-century frontier heritage.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 15 Feb. 2026
Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 10 Mar. 2026
Though much of his dip in performance last season can be tied to poor quarterback play and inconsistent pass protection from the offensive line, Hockenson hovers closer to the middle tier of tight ends.
—Zach Powell, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2026
Even on overcast days, the intensity of daylight — which hovers between 10,000 and 100,000 lux — is far greater than that of the artificial lighting in your home, school or office, which ranges from 100 to 500 lux.
—Julia Ries Wexler, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2026
That door still hovers in my mind, the dark wood; dark, too, around the edges where light usually shone.
—Literary Hub, 24 Feb. 2026
Today, that number hovers around 500.
—Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Finding one at depth in Antarctic water that hovers just above freezing puts this discovery in rare company.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 19 Feb. 2026
Total annual volume hovers around $4 billion, industry sources estimate.
—David Moin, Footwear News, 18 Feb. 2026
Its landmark suspension bridge, once a cattle-drive crossing on the Chisholm Trail, still hovers over the Brazos River as an echo of the city’s 19th-century frontier heritage.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 15 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hovers
Verb
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Lawn terrace The cooking area in this outdoor kitchen space floats above an elegant lawn terrace surrounded by a sinuous retaining wall in this space by Richardson & Associates Landscape Architecture.—
Megan Johnson,
Architectural Digest,
12 Mar. 2026
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Jordan Pope floats home his second bucket of the half for the Longhorns.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Much will depend on what happens with the Strait of Hormuz off Iran’s coast, where roughly a fifth of the world’s oil typically sails.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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Kate Stewart, who has carried the Texas offense tonight, sails a long double into center field to score pinch runner Adayah Wallace and now has three of the four Longhorn RBIs.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Julia Phillips followed, soon after, with Bear, a novel about two sisters, caring for their dying mother, and their sudden, contrasting relationships with a lone male grizzly bear that swims ashore their island, off the Oregon coast.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Mar. 2026
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Isabelle hops, arms splayed upward, hits the water, and swims to Mom.—
Gerald Witt,
AJC.com,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As the Coast Starlight approaches the Bay Area, the train glides past marshlands, open water, and distant city skylines before continuing toward California’s Central Coast.—
Abby Price,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Mar. 2026
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Powered by skin-loving ingredients, the formula glides on effortlessly.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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One notable feature is how often the stock has managed to bottom once the RSI drifts toward the midpoint of its range.—
Frank Cappelleri,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2026
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Debris drifts in and has nowhere to go.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hovers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hovers. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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