waft 1 of 2

Definition of waftnext

waft

2 of 2

verb

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
Losing the Great Salt Lake would therefore have dire economic consequences for the region, in addition to health threats as dust laden with heavy metals wafts off the lake bed and into neighborhoods. Evan Bush, NBC news, 7 Mar. 2026 The Source also obtained a copy of a snarky complaint one of its guests lodged with state investigators after watching dust plumes waft from Mountain Cement to his room. Justin Wingerter, Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
But a radioactive cloud was wafting across Europe, setting off alarms in a Swedish laboratory nearly seven hundred miles away and slowly sickening tens of thousands of people. Lizzie Johnson, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026 And the unmistakable scent of patchouli oil won’t waft through the air. Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 14 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for waft
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waft
Noun
  • Over the next few days, ocean breezes will die down and the beaches will heat up.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2026
  • The rain should begin to taper off sometime midday Monday or Monday afternoon followed by clearing skies and a cooler breeze Monday evening into Tuesday.
    Cutter Martin, CBS News, 6 May 2026
Verb
  • Still, the situation continues to hover over the club.
    Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2026
  • Global crude prices hovered between $60 and $70 for most of 2025.
    Camila Domonoske, NPR, 7 May 2026
Noun
  • All that matters at this reservation-only pizzeria is the crust, a technical marvel of puff, bulge and scorch.
    Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, 11 May 2026
  • The entire scene was unscripted and done in one take, showing a real-life conversation unfold among Moss-Bachrach, Bernthal and Evans over a chili cheese dog, a pizza puff and a lemonade.
    Anna Ortiz, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
Verb
  • When the Jules Verne Trophy was established in 1990, the target time for sailing non-stop around the world was 80 days, echoing the adventures of Phileas Fogg in Verne’s novel Around the World in 80 Days.
    Andrew Rice, New York Times, 7 May 2026
  • The events of the Clearances catalyze the action in this novel, which begins with John, a Presbyterian minister, having accepted a commission to sail to a remote island and evict its last tenant.
    The New Yorker, New Yorker, 6 May 2026
Noun
  • Take a breath before responding.
    Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 7 May 2026
  • Studios never take a breath these days, especially in an uncertain and highly competitive streaming environment.
    David Faris, TheWeek, 6 May 2026
Verb
  • Arches of black and yellow balloons floated over tables set with meals in plastic boxes.
    Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 11 May 2026
  • Banking groups are floating last-minute changes to a compromise on stablecoin yield as a key Senate panel begins considering a landmark digital asset bill.
    Bloomberg, Chicago Tribune, 10 May 2026
Verb
  • The staircase to the second floor had a stair lift, and into my head drifted an image of an elderly widow, slowly ascending to her bedroom after eating alone, her kitchen overflowing with porcelain and crystal reminders of dinner parties long ago.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 May 2026
  • Instead of splashing down or drifting under parachutes, the vehicle uses a lifting-body design (without wings) and will land under a steerable parafoil for a runway-style touchdown — a flight system unlike any that has matured to operability on a spacecraft to date.
    Josh Dinner, Space.com, 6 May 2026
Verb
  • Active types can also swim, bike, and play lawn games.
    Jess Hoffert, Midwest Living, 9 May 2026
  • Like Pisces, this flower grows in water, representing the fish that swim amongst the tides.
    Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 9 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Waft.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waft. Accessed 14 May. 2026.

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