as in breezes
a slight or gentle movement of air
wafts carrying the scent of spring flowers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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
Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 16 Jan. 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
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
The scent of fragrant broth wafts from the kitchen into the bright dining room.
—Bao Ong, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025
The essence of French cooking wafts through the air as one passes the doors of other iconic eateries like Le Bilboquet, La Goulue, Le Veau d’Or, and Match 65 Brasserie, all located in the East 60s.
—Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
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
And occasionally, the smell of chemical agents wafts by.
—Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 16 Jan. 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
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
The scent of fragrant broth wafts from the kitchen into the bright dining room.
—Bao Ong, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025
The essence of French cooking wafts through the air as one passes the doors of other iconic eateries like Le Bilboquet, La Goulue, Le Veau d’Or, and Match 65 Brasserie, all located in the East 60s.
—Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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
-
Instead of windows, the rooms have floor-to-ceiling shutters to let in the ocean breezes.—
Flora Stubbs,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Why Seedlings Need to Be Hardened Off Indoor seedlings are cultivated in a sheltered environment where they’re protected from harsh winds, bright sunlight, and cool spring breezes.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Total annual volume hovers around $4 billion, industry sources estimate.—
David Moin,
Footwear News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Its landmark suspension bridge, once a cattle-drive crossing on the Chisholm Trail, still hovers over the Brazos River as an echo of the city’s 19th-century frontier heritage.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Customers can expect the brand's beloved scones, cardamom buns, and focaccia on the menu; The San Francisco Standard reports that owner Marisa Williams also plans to start selling guava tarts and apple rhubarb puffs.—
Monica Garske,
USA Today,
20 Jan. 2026
-
At the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve in East Bethel, truffle top black spruces, cotton grass puffs, colorful mosses and carnivorous plants fill in where glacial lakes retreated.—
Erin Hassanzadeh,
CBS News,
3 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Without gravity pulling downward, the brain floats in the skull and experiences various forces from the surrounding soft tissues and the skull itself.—
Rachael Seidler,
The Conversation,
11 Feb. 2026
-
This neutral running shoe has a slim, knitted tongue that floats over the top of your feet, locking them in without applying uncomfortable pressure.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The story is a post-apocalyptic tale in which a convict, played by Fischbach, sails an ocean of blood in a submarine in order to search for resources and discovers increasingly terrifying secrets.—
William Earl,
Variety,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The Star Breeze sails year-round in French Polynesia, with voyages departing almost every week, according to the cruise line’s website.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The film tells the story 21-year-old Junyang, who drifts through life while his father quietly struggles to hold their modest home together.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Kelly’s mid-30s John drifts through life, straining against his mother Jackie Onassis’s expectations while inhabiting a world that’s so clearly his own personal oyster farm.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
12 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wafts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wafts. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
