WAFT Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

waft 1 of 2

noun

Definition of waft

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

calm

waft

2 of 2

verb

ˈwäft

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of waft

Noun

At lunchtime, Bosnian and English bounce between the tables while delicious aromas waft in from the kitchen. — Timothy Depeugh, Southern Living, 25 July 2026 There are flies, rats and, if the wind shifts every so slightly, a waft of thick, nauseating air from the warehouse. — Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026

Verb

The smoke that wafted into the atmosphere from the fires was filled with reflective, cloud-interacting aerosols, contributing to a brightening of low marine clouds over the southeast subtropical Pacific. — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 16 July 2026 The small fragments of colorful glass, strung along together, produce soothing sounds, their tinkling notes wafting through the air alongside a chorus of windchimes and the sweet scent of plumeria blooming in the garden. — Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for waft

Recent Examples of Synonyms for waft

Noun

Large white feathers wafted in the breeze—Paris, after all, drove the 19th-century ostrich feather craze that swept the fashion world.

— R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
The region’s mild climate and coastal breezes encourage an effortless indoor-outdoor lifestyle.

— Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of breeze

Verb

For the observer hovering above one of these boundaries, Kuridze says, the view would depend on the time of arrival.

— Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026
While the rain is expected to mostly subside by Saturday, temperatures will hover near the 90s through Sunday and into next week.

— Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of hover

Noun

Ganni disciples might pair a leopard print dresses with chunky sneakers, or puff-sleeve blouses with track pants—both formulas that helped cement it as one of the leading forces behind CPHFW’s street style.

— Kelsey Stewart, InStyle, 7 Aug. 2026
With a refreshingly modern take on Scandi fashion, the brand, led by creative director Ditte Reffstrup and CEO Nicolaj Reffstrup, is known for its bold leopard prints; vibrant florals; poplin; oversized puff-sleeve dresses; and chunky footwear.

— Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of puff

Verb

The lake is praised for its mountain views and few crowds, and has an expansive area to sail around.

— Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 6 Aug. 2026
Yacht tracking data provided to CNBC from VesselFinder shows that after the auction, Amadea sailed to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Charleston, South Carolina.

— Robert Frank, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of sail

Noun

Novice freedivers can usually learn to hold their breath for over two minutes and descend to over 20 meters while professional freedivers can dive well deeper than 100 meters and hold their breath for well over 10 minutes.

— Bill Springer, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Wasp was a welcome breath of fresh Marvel air after the grim finale of Infinity War, but that’s not enough to justify its entry into the top 20.

— EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of breath

Verb

The custom floating hot tub can seat up to six people and moves at a cool 3 miles per hour through the calm waters north of Logan Airport.

— Brandon Truitt, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
In that test, the first-stage booster returned to a floating platform about six minutes after ⁠the separation of its first and upper stage, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

— Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of float

Verb

But since the 2024 Olympics, images of athletes competing — and now residents swimming — in the river have become almost familiar.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
Water starts rapidly flooding the house, with a creature swimming through, clearly adept at moving underwater as had been predicted.

— William Earl, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of swim

Browse Nearby Words

waffling

waft

wafted

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Waft.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waft. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of waft

noun

verb

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