wafts 1 of 2

noun

plural of waft
as in breezes
a slight or gentle movement of air wafts carrying the scent of spring flowers

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wafts

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of waft
as in hovers
to rest or move along the surface of a liquid or in the air a feather wafted past us and settled on the grass

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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 wafts
Noun
The plot’s engine sputters as the film contentedly wafts just out of reach. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026 At night, breeze wafts through louvres, circulated by whirring ceiling fans. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026 Spritz it in the morning and prepare for subtle, spa-like wafts of forest floor throughout the day. — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 4 Aug. 2026 In one image, a young sitter with the Arabic word for ‘justice’ painted on her cheek gazes sensuously into the camera, while flooding the frame with wafts of smoke. — Michael-Oliver Harding, CNN Money, 28 July 2026 According to British Vogue, Kate arranged for wafts of Orange Blossom candles to fill the air of Westminster Abbey on her big day. — Rebecca Norris, InStyle, 11 Apr. 2026 Banana pudding wafts with the green vanilla notes of pandan. — Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 24 Mar. 2026 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 Lemongrass wafts off a dish of lobster two ways. — Restaurant Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Dec. 2025
Verb
From the big room beyond, where men are working with chisels and planes, wafts a powerful smell of wood glue. — Tim Parks, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2026 On sunny days, the ocean breeze wafts off the beach and through the loungers and cabanas set just back from the sand. — Tim Chester, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2026 The sugary aroma wafts down Main Street, where artisans continue the century-old tradition of pouring, paddling, and slicing molten fudge into glossy, irresistible bricks. — Christine Chitnis, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2025 Yes, everyone’s favorite subject on this very hot New York City day the trash smell wafts up to us. — Fortune Editors, Fortune, 6 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wafts
  1. breezes
  2. hovers
  3. puffs
  4. floats
  5. sails
  6. drifts
Noun
  • Blue skies, cool breezes, and plenty of chirping birds are enveloping the comfy Pharmalot campus, which is cause to fire up the coffee kettle for yet another cup of stimulation.
    — Ed Silverman, STAT, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Cool Pacific breezes and a variety of soils make this stretch of Northern California a perfect place to grow grapes.
    — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of breezes
Verb
  • After lingering over spaghetti alle vongole at Ristorante Lido Azzurro, which hovers over the sea near Amalfi’s harbor, zip around the coast to sea caverns and grottos, pausing for dips in secluded spots away from the crowds.
    — Lane Nieset, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Those sources said that Cultural Counsel’s workforce now hovers around 18.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of hovers
Noun
  • Without authentic longing, and without any bittersweet complexity to the portrait of one social order replacing another, we’re left with little more than puffs of amusement, enough to escalate your mood but bound to fade by morning.
    — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Deutsche Kuche Peanut Puffs A little salty, a little sweet, and extremely addictive, these peanut puffs are the perfect snack.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of puffs
Verb
  • Wrapped in a tough, drop-proof fabric shell that floats and shrugs off water, it is engineered to survive real-world chaos.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Who actually needs digestive enzymes Signs of a genuine enzyme deficiency include diarrhea, stomach pain, bloating, unexplained weight loss and fatty or oily stool that floats.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of floats
Verb
  • Seabourn sails the 264-passenger Seabourn Venture and twin Seabourn Pursuit, two lavish all-suite polar-class expedition ships cruising remote itineraries, each with two submarines.
    — Janice Wald Henderson, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Some of my favorites are coming back too, like El Pulpo Magnifico, Duane Flatmo's fire-breathing octopus, and the Monaco, a 40-foot ship with three masts that sails across dust instead of water.
    — Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of sails
Verb
  • And as the story drifts to Miami, London, New York, and back to Kingston again, it’s held together by James’ passion for the era’s pop culture and his characters’ will to survive in the face of hatred.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 22 Sep. 2026
  • All parents struggle in some way to adjust to life as empty nesters, but Charlie leaves his mom and dad in a somber, reflective state that casts a heavy pall over an episode that drifts toward the turgid.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of drifts

Browse Nearby Words

wafting
wafts
wag
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Cite this Entry

“Wafts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wafts. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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