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
Rosalyn Wikeley, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Jan. 2026
The days get shorter, a cold chill moves through the air, string lights sparkle in your neighborhood, a faint waft of pine floats your way, and inexplicably Kevin Spacey appears to do an odd bit of press.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 20 Nov. 2025
Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026
The ‘incident’ consisted of King wafting a hand at Slattery, who did a cracking job (above) of making zero meaningful contact look like a stiff right hand from Mike Tyson.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for waft
Noun
Artisanal, electric energy has occupied the grand bones of this intoxicating city, with young creatives animating the unbuttoned cafés and bars filling its old town’s squares—the air always hot and heavy with wafts of arancini and zucchini fritti.
—Rosalyn Wikeley, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Jan. 2026
The days get shorter, a cold chill moves through the air, string lights sparkle in your neighborhood, a faint waft of pine floats your way, and inexplicably Kevin Spacey appears to do an odd bit of press.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 20 Nov. 2025
Verb
As David Miranda huddled in his Airbnb in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, the smell of smoke wafted through the window.
—Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026
The ‘incident’ consisted of King wafting a hand at Slattery, who did a cracking job (above) of making zero meaningful contact look like a stiff right hand from Mike Tyson.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for waft
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waft
Noun
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Taurus April 20 – May 20 The cosmic breeze is carrying fascinating scents, drawing you out of your comfort zone into curious explorations.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
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Here, the summer evening breeze ripples through the willows, and the terrace resounds with sounds of trout rising to catch the mayfly.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Alcohol spending as a share of household budgets is also hovering at near 40-year lows, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that was cited in the report.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The 54-year-old comedian with a beard full of gray stubble drops back to pass, launching a tight spiral underneath SoFi’s massive technicolor halo scoreboard hovering above a sea of empty stands.—
Deputy Entertainment,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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His bakery specializes in French classics such as puffs from choux pastry, but also unique original creations, including a seasonal series with desserts shaped to look like real fruits.—
Abby Hamblin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
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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,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Every so often, a shot sailed wide, the puck banging loudly against the glass behind the net.—
Panashe Matemba-Mutasa,
Mercury News,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Robert Smalls was a former slave and boat pilot who took control of a Confederate ship during the Civil War and sailed it into Union hands.—
Gary Robbins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But Vanek also has people round their back into turtle pose, using humming breaths to connect with vibration-sensing creatures, and using the outstretched arms of some poses to greet new snake visitors.—
Deena Prichep,
NPR,
11 Mar. 2026
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His prose has a photographic quality that just takes my breath away.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The 80-foot-long grinning behemoth floating in a roadside pond was built as an anniversary gift for the owner’s whale-loving wife.—
Zoey Goto,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
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The procession featured drums, dancing and floats celebrating the vibrancy of the Chinese American community in the oldest celebration of its kind outside Asia and one of the largest.—
Jane Tyska,
Mercury News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Tottenham are drifting, and need to find leaders somewhere, or their season will end in the ignominy of a first relegation in 49 years.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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The approach could help prevent both the robot and the satellite from spinning or drifting during delicate repairs.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Sharks, whales, rays, turtles, dolphins, and even the rare dugong (a manatee-like creature) swim these stunning seas alongside hundreds of species of fish.—
Melanie van Zyl,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Mar. 2026
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For fish tables, players aim to shoot different fish types swimming across the screen using a virtual cannon or gun.—
Scott Butler,
Florida Times-Union,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waft.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waft. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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