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
Frank Vogel and Mike Budenholzer have both won championships in the 2020s, only to get fired twice since; Mike D’Antoni and Jeff Van Gundy have floated around in advisory or assistant roles in recent years. Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 22 May 2025 Nadal’s name floated down to the slot next to Zverev, the world No. 4 but the most in-form player ahead of the tournament after a win at the Italian Open. Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 22 May 2025
Noun
The float inside the tank automatically turns off the dehumidifier once it’s filled to capacity. Lisa Wood Shapiro, Wired News, 8 May 2025 There’s the annual National Independence Day Parade on Constitution Avenue, where drum corps and bands march alongside floats in front of hundreds of thousands of spectators. Chloe Arrojado, AFAR Media, 5 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for float
Recent Examples of Synonyms for float
Verb
  • Over the years, the percentage of transactions conducted in cash has significantly dropped, with the average estimate now hovering around 20 percent.
    Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
  • The purchase is worth around $509 million at current market prices, with Bitcoin hovering around $108,000.
    Niamh Rowe, Quartz, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • Those two have scheduled meet and greets, but other characters like The Invisible Man and Ygor roam throughout Dark Universe.
    Eve Chen, USA Today, 26 May 2025
  • The refrigerator was not cold enough and two cats roamed the shop, violating state food code.
    Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 24 May 2025
Noun
  • Charging is handled by a magnetic floor dock, so the whole thing is grab-and-go ready.
    Paul Lamkin, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
  • Williams served as a photographer with the Royal Air Force for two years, then worked as an assistant cameraman for British Transport Films, shooting documentaries about docks, railways and the Queen Mary.
    Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025
Verb
  • Guests will sail aboard the luxurious and modern Amadeus Star, enjoying hotel-style comforts, gourmet cuisine, and private small-group excursions led by an experienced resident tour director.
    Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 26 May 2025
  • But then Betts misfired on a flip to second base, sailing the ball over teammate Tommy Edman’s head to put runners on the corners.
    Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2025
Verb
  • Across the street, walking to their apartments, Marta Becerra, 50, and Margarita Mota, 60, said people from the parking structure had wandered into their apartment complex, stealing bicycles and other items from people’s porches.
    Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2025
  • Any Colorado wolves that wander into Utah, New Mexico or Arizona will be retrieved and brought back to the Centennial State, under agreements state wildlife officials inked with those neighboring states.
    Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 28 May 2025
Noun
  • Santa Cruz damaged wharf bayarea maps This map was made with Google My Maps.
    Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 24 May 2025
  • The municipal wharf will be closed until further notice, Santa Cruz Fire Department said.
    Andy Biggs, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • What to do: Hiking dramatic portions of the Pacific Crest Trail; climbing peaks that few others have summited; boating and swimming in the adjacent NRAs.
    Joe Yogerst, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
  • Curlew and Koala spent almost three months off Florida's west coast, swimming north and south from near St. Petersburg to beaches along the western Panhandle a couple of times.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 23 May 2025
Verb
  • The film, so enjoyably wacky at first, deflates and drifts to a stop like one of its showboat cars running on empty.
    Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 23 May 2025
  • From casting a line and drifting beneath cottonwoods to paddling through splashing whitewater, adventures on the San Miguel are a refreshing way to experience its rhythms.
    AFAR Media, AFAR Media, 23 May 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Float.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/float. Accessed 3 Jun. 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!