float 1 of 2

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2

float

2 of 2

noun

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
Unfortunately, The Shrouds, for all the many ideas floating around in it, feels more like a series of interesting notes for a film than an actual feature. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2025 Full Story Trump floats wider IRS tax exemption crackdown President Trump on Thursday floated a wider crackdown on tax-exempt entities after his administration asked the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to revoke Harvard University’s tax-exempt status this week. Aris Folley, The Hill, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
Meanwhile, short interest is up 12% over the past two weeks, though the stock has been steadily rising during this time, now representing 10.7% of the stock’s available float. Schaeffer's Investment Research, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025 The diverse cultures of Kansas City come together in this parade in the form of lowriders, high-energy drill teams , drum corps and floats packed with families who trace their roots to Ireland. The Kansas City Star and, Kansas City Star, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for float
Recent Examples of Synonyms for float
Verb
  • From a terminal far out of harm’s way, drone pilots could hover in the sky for hours, soaking up surveillance information, building a case for precisely whom to bomb and when to do it.
    Colin Jones, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Uncertainty still hovers over Bryce Huff, a splash signing in 2024.
    Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The other two dogs, who were able to roam the property, were found alive and taken into care.
    Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
  • The dogs were reported by passersby who alerted the KC Pet Project that dogs appeared to be dumped and roaming the area.
    Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 18 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • In the photo, Sterling wore a floral baby carrier with a doll inside while standing on a dock.
    Charna Flam, People.com, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The three-bedroom, four-bathroom house stretches more than 300 feet across Lake Washington’s waterfront has a dock that supports boats and seaplanes.
    Shannon Carroll, Quartz, 16 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • As part of its efforts under [Free and Open Indo-Pacific], [Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force] remains delighted to sail into friends' ports and help enhance openness thru various and collaborative interactions.
    Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Domestic life did not suit the 26-year-old young woman who had once sailed to China to preach the word of God.
    Claire Hoffman, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • After a 3-month long girls trip along Florida’s Gulf Coast, a wayward pair of endangered North Atlantic right whales known as Curlew and Koala have finally wandered back to the Atlantic Ocean.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Alberta is skeptical… until Hetty points out how Pete has been wandering and dating up a storm, was secretly in the mafia and punched Thor in the face after the Viking slept with Carol.
    Vlada Gelman, TVLine, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Stonington, Maine: After two devastating storms, plans are multiplying to raise and fortify wharves, roads and buildings.
    Mike Belleme, New York Times, 14 Feb. 2025
  • On Monday, a 150ft section of the Santa Cruz wharf collapsed while being hit by high waves.
    Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • The way the film swims through the contradictions, considerations, and cultural reverie of the rural South is genuinely enlivening.
    Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025
  • First responders were en route to the Naperville pond when the man jumped in the 6-foot-deep pond to help the driver who couldn’t swim, fire officials said.
    Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • One of the reasons the forward P/E did not fall as much as trailing P/Es is that earnings estimates drifted lower, Clissold noted.
    Yun Li, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025
  • The Tijuana River has been plagued with raw sewage and industrial waste from Tijuana for decades, fouling beaches along the U.S.-Mexico border with polluted water and sending foul odors drifting through communities in San Diego County.
    Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Float.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/float. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on float

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!