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
Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 7 Feb. 2026
Anchors and buoys hang from the walls, among the rest of the navy and white details which trim the snug space.
—Becky Duffett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 9 Feb. 2026
The company’s financial results were buoyed by strong performances from Taco Bell and KFC, which saw same-store sales increase by 7% and 3% in the fourth quarter, respectively.
—Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for buoy
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Noun
Zones on the water are marked with visible buoys.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 7 Feb. 2026
Anchors and buoys hang from the walls, among the rest of the navy and white details which trim the snug space.
—Becky Duffett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
Seattle used a dominant defensive performance to buoy their win over New England.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 9 Feb. 2026
The company’s financial results were buoyed by strong performances from Taco Bell and KFC, which saw same-store sales increase by 7% and 3% in the fourth quarter, respectively.
—Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for buoy
Cite this Entry
“Buoy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buoy. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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