Illustration of buoy
- buoy 1
buoyed; buoying; buoys
1
: to mark by or as if by a float or buoy
buoy an anchor
2
3
: to raise the spirits of
—usually used with up
hope buoys him up
: float
—usually used with up
They buoyed up like a cork.
Examples of buoy in a Sentence
Verb
The tax breaks should help to buoy the economy.
Recent Examples on the Web
Amy Thomas, Travel + Leisure, 12 Apr. 2024
While many ocean energy projects think big, laying large buoys that convert waves into electricity through mechanical means, there is another approach to developing wave energy: going small.
—IEEE Spectrum, 9 Apr. 2024
First scan these areas with your sonar and put marker buoys along channels and ditches to chart your route.
—Don Wirth, Field & Stream, 4 Apr. 2024
He had been pulled into a rip current and tried to save himself, clinging to a buoy for a few minutes before disappearing into the water and drowning.
—Jennifer Dixon, Detroit Free Press, 31 Mar. 2024
Sonar has indicated that there are vehicles in the water, where the temperature was about 47 degrees Fahrenheit in the early hours of Tuesday, according to a buoy that collects data for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
—Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 28 Mar. 2024
The law bans foam egg cartons, takeout containers, meat trays, coolers, ice chests, dock floats and mooring buoys.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2024
Litigation is ongoing over a buoy barrier installed by Texas in the Rio Grande, and a new law that would permit state officials to arrest and deport migrants who crossed the border illegally.
—Henry Gass, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Apr. 2024
The buoy shape is easy for little ones to grasp and splash around with.
—Christin Perry, Parents, 29 Mar. 2024
Umer Asif, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Apr. 2024
Even if the book never goes mainstream, its reputation can be buoyed for years or decades by devotees.
—Ilana Masad, The Atlantic, 11 Apr. 2024
For decades, this modern economic miracle buoyed the ruling Chinese Communist Party, which promised the Chinese public security and prosperity in exchange for severe constraints on political freedom.
—Jennifer Jett, NBC News, 10 Apr. 2024
Nine of the previous 10 undefeated teams who reached the title game have won the championship, according to ESPN
Despite these odds, Iowa will be buoyed by the memory of defeating South Carolina in the Final Four last year, upsetting the Gamecocks behind a record-breaking 41 points from Clark.
—Issy Ronald, CNN, 7 Apr. 2024
For the rest of the walk, I'm buoyed by the exhilaration of having experienced something rare—a live-wire connection with a five-ton wild beast.
—Alex Postman, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Apr. 2024
Consumer confidence, buoyed by employment stability, further influences housing decisions, highlighting the interconnectedness of the market and broader economy.
—Frank Sorrentino, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Similarly, acrobatics fill the Benzini acts, but the cast’s precision and physicality also buoy seemingly mundane tasks such as the hammering of stakes to pull up the tent: This is a life of ever-present risk, necessitating ever-present athleticism.
—Elisabeth Vincentelli, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024
And the music was buoyed by especially decorous playing by concertmaster Sally McLain, harpist Eric Sabatino and flutist Nicolette Oppelt.
—Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2024
Noun
And no visit is complete without snapping a few pictures of Motif No. 1, an iconic red fishing shack decorated with colorful buoys.
—Amy Thomas, Travel + Leisure, 12 Apr. 2024
While many ocean energy projects think big, laying large buoys that convert waves into electricity through mechanical means, there is another approach to developing wave energy: going small.
—IEEE Spectrum, 9 Apr. 2024
First scan these areas with your sonar and put marker buoys along channels and ditches to chart your route.
—Don Wirth, Field & Stream, 4 Apr. 2024
He had been pulled into a rip current and tried to save himself, clinging to a buoy for a few minutes before disappearing into the water and drowning.
—Jennifer Dixon, Detroit Free Press, 31 Mar. 2024
Sonar has indicated that there are vehicles in the water, where the temperature was about 47 degrees Fahrenheit in the early hours of Tuesday, according to a buoy that collects data for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
—Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 28 Mar. 2024
The law bans foam egg cartons, takeout containers, meat trays, coolers, ice chests, dock floats and mooring buoys.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2024
Litigation is ongoing over a buoy barrier installed by Texas in the Rio Grande, and a new law that would permit state officials to arrest and deport migrants who crossed the border illegally.
—Henry Gass, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Apr. 2024
The buoy shape is easy for little ones to grasp and splash around with.
—Christin Perry, Parents, 29 Mar. 2024
Verb
Wetland officials were buoyed by the birds’ lofty numbers amid a long dry spell in the region.
—Umer Asif, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Apr. 2024
Even if the book never goes mainstream, its reputation can be buoyed for years or decades by devotees.
—Ilana Masad, The Atlantic, 11 Apr. 2024
For decades, this modern economic miracle buoyed the ruling Chinese Communist Party, which promised the Chinese public security and prosperity in exchange for severe constraints on political freedom.
—Jennifer Jett, NBC News, 10 Apr. 2024
Nine of the previous 10 undefeated teams who reached the title game have won the championship, according to ESPN
Despite these odds, Iowa will be buoyed by the memory of defeating South Carolina in the Final Four last year, upsetting the Gamecocks behind a record-breaking 41 points from Clark.
—Issy Ronald, CNN, 7 Apr. 2024
For the rest of the walk, I'm buoyed by the exhilaration of having experienced something rare—a live-wire connection with a five-ton wild beast.
—Alex Postman, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Apr. 2024
Consumer confidence, buoyed by employment stability, further influences housing decisions, highlighting the interconnectedness of the market and broader economy.
—Frank Sorrentino, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Similarly, acrobatics fill the Benzini acts, but the cast’s precision and physicality also buoy seemingly mundane tasks such as the hammering of stakes to pull up the tent: This is a life of ever-present risk, necessitating ever-present athleticism.
—Elisabeth Vincentelli, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024
And the music was buoyed by especially decorous playing by concertmaster Sally McLain, harpist Eric Sabatino and flutist Nicolette Oppelt.
—Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'buoy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near buoy
Cite this Entry
“Buoy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buoy. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
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