as in breezes
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 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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wafts
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
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
Lemongrass wafts off a dish of lobster two ways.
—Restaurant Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Dec. 2025
Open the door to the Tumacacori Mesquite Sawmill gallery in the rural, rolling hills of Santa Cruz County, Arizona, an hour south of Tucson, and a soft aroma wafts out.
—Suzanne Wright, USA Today, 11 Nov. 2025
The scent of shorn wood, metal and instant coffee wafts through the air.
—Joanna Kakissis, NPR, 11 Nov. 2025
October’s crisp weather invites a pot of simmering chili to cook slowly on the stove, filling the kitchen with warmth and wafts of smoke and spice.
—Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 24 Oct. 2025
Every so often, the distinct scent of cigar smoke wafts through the Palace’s lobby, even though the theater hasn’t allowed smoking inside for decades.
—Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 8 Oct. 2025
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
Noun
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
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
Lemongrass wafts off a dish of lobster two ways.
—Restaurant Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Dec. 2025
Open the door to the Tumacacori Mesquite Sawmill gallery in the rural, rolling hills of Santa Cruz County, Arizona, an hour south of Tucson, and a soft aroma wafts out.
—Suzanne Wright, USA Today, 11 Nov. 2025
The scent of shorn wood, metal and instant coffee wafts through the air.
—Joanna Kakissis, NPR, 11 Nov. 2025
October’s crisp weather invites a pot of simmering chili to cook slowly on the stove, filling the kitchen with warmth and wafts of smoke and spice.
—Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 24 Oct. 2025
Every so often, the distinct scent of cigar smoke wafts through the Palace’s lobby, even though the theater hasn’t allowed smoking inside for decades.
—Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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
Noun
-
Features like sets of French doors welcome sunlight and coastal breezes.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Sunny skies and mild breezes are enveloping the Pharmalot campus once again.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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On a warm Sunday afternoon, Shamim Popal hovers in the kitchen of her Middleburg, Virginia, home, making brunch for her family.—
Liam Scott,
Washington Post,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The average for 3-point shooting, pro and college, hovers around 35%.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The unusual survival of the snack soon sparked reactions online, with many commentators joking about the resilience of the popular cheese puffs.—
Claire Dodds,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Make these pretty pink puffs for your afternoon luncheon.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Their son, John, likes watching the games and their daughter, Kyla, likes the root beer floats on the weekends.—
Charlie Lapastora,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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On the 16, a slender crescent moon appears to the lower right of Jupiter, while directly below the moon floats a third bright planet, Mercury.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Most tanker movement in the key Strait of Hormuz, where roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil typically sails past Iran’s coastline, remains at a halt.—
Camila Gomez,
The Orlando Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
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Capasecca Yacht Another bespoke yachting experience, Capasecca — featuring four cabins that sleep up to eight guests — sails the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Ischia and Procida, backed by a family with generations of seafaring heritage.—
Elycia Rubin,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Wandering through the wash, the mind drifts not to the film but to the flash floods that move through this channel after heavy rains, sudden torrents cutting and reshaping the valley floor in a matter of hours.—
Josh Jackson,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
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Written by Mescudi, Doe explores themes of addiction and survival through the lens of a man living on the streets of Hollywood who, over the course of 24 hours, drifts through a series of encounters that pull him in and out of the cycles of his compulsion.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wafts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wafts. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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