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waft 1 of 2

noun

Definition of waftnext
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

waft

2 of 2

verb

ˈwäft How to pronounce waft (audio)
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
Walking through San & Wolves Bakeshop’s doors, you are hit with a waft of sweet air and come face-to-face with a display of pandesal, buns, tarts, cookies, cakes, and more. — Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 30 July 2026 At lunchtime, Bosnian and English bounce between the tables while delicious aromas waft in from the kitchen. — Timothy Depeugh, Southern Living, 25 July 2026
Verb
There were obstacles to women owning a home, having credit in their own name, and taking out loans, so Parton moved like perfume, wafting through the world of men while always doing things her own way. — Shima Oliaee, Time, 26 Aug. 2026 That kind of tall tale spirit wafted through the air the entire night, says Miller. — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for waft
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waft
  1. breeze
  2. hover
  3. puff
  4. sail
  5. breath
  6. float
  7. drift
  8. swim
Noun
  • Gusts up to 35 mph out of the north are possible, with the breeze pushing south toward Fresno.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Each kit includes 36 pre-bonded clusters—enough for six applications—plus a non-stick applicator that makes placement a breeze.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of breeze
Verb
  • Mayflies hovering around our heads were bound to attract bats, and bats creep me out.
    — Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Louise — the presence of her absence — hovers over the wintry landscapes like a figment of loss and guilt.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of hover
Noun
  • In fact, some shoppers admit polishing off the puffs in the parking lot.
    — Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The resulting fire from the crash sent large puffs of black smoke into the air.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of puff
Verb
  • And a 26-year-old naturalist named Charles Darwin arrived aboard the British Royal Navy ship HMS Beagle, which had sailed from England nearly four years earlier on a mission to chart South America.
    — Michele Metych Britannica Editors Sep. 14, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The onslaught effectively forced the container shipping industry to avoid the Suez Canal altogether, with ocean carriers instead opting to sail a longer route around southern Africa’s Cape of Good Hope.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of sail
Noun
  • With just 26 seconds remaining in Wednesday night’s season opener against the New England Patriots, star Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba held his breath, hoping desperately that Seattle’s defense would step up.
    — Andrew Destin, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Inside, a speakeasy-style bar room, pool table, and grand piano invite long evenings of conversation, while the deck, sauna, and BBQ beg for one last breath of time spent outside.
    — Madeline Weinfield, Vogue, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of breath
Verb
  • White flamingos and red-footed falcons floated above the lagoon, framed by a long strip of dune and beach.
    — Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Failla is adding in some floating rate exposure, such as bank loans and collateralized loan obligations.
    — Michelle Fox, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of float
Verb
  • The Rams did secure one interception on Purdy, when Quentin Lake drifted back into zone and Purdy tried to force a ball to Evans and threw it right at Lake.
    — Nate Atkins, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The impact jostled loose a few petals before the circle of blossoms slowly drifted away on the luminescent blue Bermudian swells.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of drift
Verb
  • Meteorologists urged beachgoers to only swim near lifeguards and stay off rock jetties.
    — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Winter also brings memorable encounters with whales across Australia, including swimming with dwarf minke whales along the Great Barrier Reef from June through July and spotting migrating humpbacks along the east coast from May through October.
    — Stuart Rigg, Travel + Leisure, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of swim

Browse Nearby Words

waffling
waft
wafted
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Cite this Entry

“Waft.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waft. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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