as in breeze
a slight or gentle movement of air
wafts carrying the scent of spring flowers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to hover
to rest or move along the surface of a liquid or in the air
a feather wafted past us and settled on the grass
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of waft
Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 10 Feb. 2026
The ancient ritual will see smoke from smoldering native leaves waft over the island’s sandy beaches – to cleanse, and to heal.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 14 Mar. 2026
Her special move was driving forward from the back and wafting in threatening crosses with her left foot.
—Theo Lloyd-Hughes, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for waft
Noun
Deodorize The Trash Smelly trash may be behind lingering odors that waft throughout the house.
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 10 Feb. 2026
The ancient ritual will see smoke from smoldering native leaves waft over the island’s sandy beaches – to cleanse, and to heal.
—Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
Verb
Most of these trees even have beautiful flowers, wafting a pleasant fragrance throughout your garden.
—Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 14 Mar. 2026
Her special move was driving forward from the back and wafting in threatening crosses with her left foot.
—Theo Lloyd-Hughes, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for waft
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waft
Noun
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Temperatures warm into the upper 60s and 70s on Friday afternoon, with a gusty south breeze.—
Cutter Martin,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Church bells ring briefly each quarter hour to sound time, their melodic peals blending with ocean breezes.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The bank expects oil prices will hover around $100 a barrel for the rest of the year – and could go even higher if the Strait of Hormuz’s closure continues to disrupt energy supplies.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
2 Apr. 2026
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Video from the rescue shows the helicopter descending near the Seneca River and then hovering over the water, where the dog is struggling to keep its head above the surface.—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The media mogul opted for a light-brown suede jacket with puff sleeves, layered over a ruffle blouse that was tucked into her wide-leg jeans.—
Eva Thomas,
InStyle,
4 Apr. 2026
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The unusual survival of the snack soon sparked reactions online, with many commentators joking about the resilience of the popular cheese puffs.—
Claire Dodds,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In an interview with CBS News, Aylesworth described her mother as an experienced swimmer who has been sailing for more than 10 years.—
Nicole Sganga,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
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Two innings later, Lopez’s first pitch to Soler was a 97 mph fastball that sailed past his head.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The buyer recently finished the inspections, but Murray isn’t holding his breath.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
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And right as the world holds its breath, HMS Dragon has a fault with its fresh water supply.—
Elaine Mallon,
FOXNews.com,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Knies opened the scoring after Edmundson hand-delivered the puck to Max Domi, who zoomed ahead and floated a saucer pass to Knies for a snipe from between the circles.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
5 Apr. 2026
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Some of the ideas under consideration have been floating around for a while, but last month a list of proposals was leaked to ESPN.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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New Orleans is one of those rare cities that announces itself immediately — through the smell of powdered sugar drifting from a café, the sound of a trumpet warming up on a street corner, the sight of iron-lace balconies draped over cobblestone sidewalks.—
Lauren Schuster,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
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The courtyard of Frozen Music—a bespoke stone atelier outside Jaipur, India—lives up to the tranquility of its name, with a burbling fountain and birdsong drifting through banyan trees at dusk.—
Sarah Medford,
Architectural Digest,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Authorities also suggest swimming near a lifeguard station.—
Ted Scouten,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
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Last year, a couple of 2-year-old males returned to swim up the Sacramento River.—
Rachel Becker,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waft.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waft. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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