as in breezes
a slight or gentle movement of air
wafts carrying the scent of spring flowers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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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
-
Wind gusts could hit 20 to 30 mph at times in western Arizona and southeast California, while Phoenix and central Arizona will see lighter northerly breezes.—
Hayleigh Evans,
AZCentral.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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The magnetic door cover offers full coverage thermal insulation, blocking any unwanted breezes from coming inside.—
Jamie Weissman,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Chicago's waste diversion rate – the amount of garbage being recycled instead of dumped in landfills – hovers around 10%.—
Tara Molina,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
-
And the upside to cheaper cars becomes harder to ignore as the average sticker price for a new car in America hovers around a staggering $50,000.—
Patrick George,
The Atlantic,
23 Jan. 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
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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
-
Tucked on a hillside in the Rustic Canyon neighborhood, the house floats above a natural spring that flows through the property, resting on six concrete columns sunk 30 feet into the ground.—
Jack Flemming,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
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An invisible ocean floats above our heads, so why not tap into it, literally?—
Shi En Kim,
AZCentral.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
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Where National Geographic Endurance Sails Endurance often sails in icy waters, including those in the Arctic and around Antarctica, South Georgia, and the Falkland Islands.—
Kristen E. Pope,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Hari Kunzru drifts through London.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
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Our list includes the American Civil Liberties Union, which has spent more than a century defending the Constitution, using litigation and advocacy to uphold the rule of law when state power drifts toward authoritarian abuse.—
Dev Patnaik,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Wafts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wafts. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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