float 1 of 2

verb

Definition of floatnext
1
as in to hover
to rest or move along the surface of a liquid or in the air a canoe floating down the river particles of dust floating in the air

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to wander
to move about from place to place aimlessly lost touch with a childhood friend who spent much of his adult life floating from place to place

Synonyms & Similar Words

float

2 of 2

noun

ˈflōt How to pronounce float (audio)
as in dock
a structure used by boats and ships for taking on or landing cargo and passengers the crew put the cargo on the float before heading back down the river

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 float
Verb
Brandon Jones floated to his right, then realized what was happening a quarter of a football field away. — Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2026 The 414-foot Lürssen wasn’t a floating palace like most of the world’s largest yachts before it, but an expedition ship disguised as a superyacht, complete with submarines, helipads, a drive-in marina, and research capabilities. — Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026
Noun
There will also be a new float honoring American puppeteer Tony Sarg, the creative genius behind the parade’s signature elements. — David Moin, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026 Flat tax debate Still, threats to leave are the predictable response whenever a state floats taxing the wealthy. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for float
Recent Examples of Synonyms for float
  1. hover
  2. wander
  3. dock
  4. sail
  5. roam
  6. wharf
  7. swim
  8. drift
Verb
  • Flight-tracking site flightradar24 showed all flights to Riyadh had either been diverted or canceled, with only a helicopter hovering over the airport at one point.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Data released Thursday by the US Department of Labor showed that initial jobless claims fell by 2,000 to 197,000 for the week ending October 3rd, hovering near a 57 year low for a fourth consecutive week.
    — , CNBC, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of hover
Verb
  • Milan might be better known internationally for its fashion houses and design scene, but anyone who has spent an evening wandering around its neighborhoods will know that going out for a drink is practically part of a local's daily routine.
    — Alessia Armenise, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026
  • In addition to wandering through the patch and harvesting prized pumpkins, there are many activities at Pumpkin Palooza to keep you and your family entertained.
    — Hali Smith October 8, Idaho Statesman, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of wander
Noun
  • Across the bay in San Diego, hundreds of people gathered to watch the ship dock.
    — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 8 Oct. 2026
  • All 564 elegant rooms and suites are spacious with harbor views, combining generous windows and contemporary furniture with iHome docks.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of dock
Verb
  • Aubrey's 65-yard attempt with about 30 seconds left in the second quarter sailed wide left.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Before its commissioning, the destroyer sailed from Norfolk to Florida and then traveled to Alaska through the Panama Canal.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of sail
Verb
  • This wildly luxurious hideaway coexists with nature to put you up-close with the Big Five—especially the elephants, lion, and rhino that roam this northwest corner of South Africa.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Winter soon has the crowd eating out of his hand, his unmistakable voice roaming from an intentionally warbly baritone to a Thom Yorke-ish falsetto.
    — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of roam
Noun
  • Their transatlantic journey is slated to begin in Portsmouth, but once there Håkan loses sight of his brother in the crowds along the wharf.
    — Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
  • But in 1820, Shippingport had about 600 residents, three wharves for steamboats, taverns and a flour mill.
    — Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of wharf
Verb
  • The Perse version channels the country’s northern provinces along the Caspian Sea, which traditionally highlight a species of carp that swims in local waters.
    — Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The sprint-distance format had contestants swim 750 meters, bike 20,000 meters and run the final 5,000.
    — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of swim
Verb
  • But like many figures in Silicon Valley, his politics appeared to drift to the right during Biden’s presidency.
    — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Stewart complained about the chain’s merchandising and quality control, and Kmart was drifting toward financial trouble.
    — Fernanda Tronco, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of drift

Browse Nearby Words

flivvers
float
floated
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Cite this Entry

“Float.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/float. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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