buoy

1 of 2

noun

ˈbü-ē How to pronounce buoy (audio) ˈbȯi How to pronounce buoy (audio)
Synonyms of buoynext
1
: float sense 2
especially, nautical : a floating object moored to the bottom to mark a channel or something (such as a shoal) lying under the water
swam out toward the buoy
2
: life buoy

Illustration of buoy

Illustration of buoy
  • buoy 1

buoy

2 of 2

verb

buoyed; buoying; buoys

transitive verb

1
: to mark by or as if by a float or buoy
buoy an anchor
2
a
: to keep afloat
a raft buoyed by empty oil drums
b
: support, uplift
an economy buoyed by the dramatic postwar growth of industry— Time
3
: to raise the spirits of
—usually used with up
hope buoys him up

intransitive verb

: 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
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.
Noun
Texas looks to gift its buoys to Trump Texas is waiting for the Trump administration to drop the case, with the Justice Department moving quickly behind the scenes to dissolve legal challenges to the buoys. — Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 16 Apr. 2025 Figure 4 shows an example of a daytime camera image in degraded visibility conditions, of a 1 m wide buoy at a range of 2 nautical miles (3.6 miles). — Sabbir Rangwala, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
Huawei reported a 22% surge in revenue in 2024 — the fastest growth since 2016 — buoyed by a recovery in its consumer products business. — Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 18 Apr. 2025 Hong Leong group patriarch Quek Leng Chan strengthened his position as the second-richest person with a $1 billion jump in his net worth to $9.8 billion, buoyed by robust sales at his family’s finance-to-food conglomerate. — Anu Raghunathan, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for buoy

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English boye, probably from Middle Dutch boeye; akin to Old High German bouhhan sign — more at beacon

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1596, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of buoy was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing buoy

Rhymes for buoy

See All Rhymes for buoy

Browse Nearby Words

buon fresco
buoy
buoyage
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Buoy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buoy. Accessed 27 Apr. 2025.

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Kids Definition

buoy

1 of 2 noun
ˈbü-ē How to pronounce buoy (audio) ˈbȯi How to pronounce buoy (audio)
1
: a floating object anchored in a body of water to mark a channel or warn of danger
2
: life buoy

buoy

2 of 2 verb
1
: to keep from sinking : keep afloat
2
: to brighten the mood of
the news buoyed him up

More from Merriam-Webster on buoy

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for buoy

Nglish: Translation of buoy for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about buoy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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