wafts 1 of 2

plural of waft

wafts

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of waft
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

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 wafts
Noun
In one image, a young sitter with the Arabic word for ‘justice’ painted on her cheek gazes sensuously into the camera, while flooding the frame with wafts of smoke. Michael-Oliver Harding, CNN Money, 28 July 2026 The scent of burning resin wafts through the air, and ambient music follows you around the property, matching the vibe of the day from sunrise to sunset. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 May 2026 According to British Vogue, Kate arranged for wafts of Orange Blossom candles to fill the air of Westminster Abbey on her big day. Rebecca Norris, InStyle, 11 Apr. 2026 Banana pudding wafts with the green vanilla notes of pandan. Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 24 Mar. 2026 Losing the Great Salt Lake would therefore have dire economic consequences for the region, in addition to health threats as dust laden with heavy metals wafts off the lake bed and into neighborhoods. Evan Bush, NBC news, 7 Mar. 2026 Lemongrass wafts off a dish of lobster two ways. Restaurant Critic, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Dec. 2025 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
Verb
From the big room beyond, where men are working with chisels and planes, wafts a powerful smell of wood glue. Tim Parks, New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2026 On sunny days, the ocean breeze wafts off the beach and through the loungers and cabanas set just back from the sand. Tim Chester, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2026 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
  • Peak-season crowds begin to thin, evening breezes feel a little cooler and the countdown to Labor Day serves as a reminder to savor the season before shorter autumn days arrive.
    Martie Bowser, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Built to harvest relentless ocean breezes, these megastructures face a constant battle against heavy winds and crushing waves.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 31 July 2026
Verb
  • As a result, the average restaurant profit margin now hovers between a precarious 3% and 5%, and industry data suggests that up to 42% of restaurants are currently struggling just to stay in the black.
    Robert Messer, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • The Iraq War hovers over the whole thing, obviously, and the post-9/11 America the film was born into is there.
    Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 28 July 2026
Noun
  • Follow directions on your inhaler for how many puffs to take.
    Alexandra Frost, USA Today, 5 July 2026
  • If the accretion disk puffs up in just the right way, the incoming gas can overwhelm the radiation pressure.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • Though officially Danish, Bornholm floats midway between Sweden, Germany, and Poland.
    Stephanie Gavan, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 July 2026
  • Streaks of light fly down the carriage in one dueling scene, and in the show’s climax, the lights go dark when a dementor — played by a hooded actor puppeteering the creature strapped to their torso — floats down the aisle.
    Emily Tarinelli, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
Verb
  • The Jules Verne Trophy is awarded to the boat that sails non-stop fastest around the world.
    Andrew Rice, New York Times, 24 July 2026
  • Adventure Canada Adventure Canada sails to remote parts of the Arctic, including Canada and Greenland, and the company’s trips feature endless fodder for photo enthusiasts.
    Kristen E. Pope, Travel + Leisure, 13 July 2026
Verb
  • If its multiple drifts back to 30 over the next five years, Apple will need a 5% annual push from a combination of repurchases and earnings expansion just to stay even, to maintain its share price at current levels.
    Shawn Tully, Fortune, 30 July 2026
  • Kirk briefly drifts away, drawn by the sound of a crying child.
    Keith Phipps, Vulture, 30 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Wafts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wafts. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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