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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to wander
to move about from place to place aimlessly
lost touch with a childhood friend who spent much of his adult life floating from place to place
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of float
Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
Some of them could cause severe damage to space stations and satellites, endangering the global space economy floating above us, which is currently valued at more than $600 billion.
—Humberto Basilio, Scientific American, 7 Nov. 2025
Jenzia Burgos, StyleCaster, 1 Jan. 2026
As per Rose Parade rules, every inch of the float must be decorated with only natural, organic materials.
—Liz Baker, NPR, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for float
Verb
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s prominent absence from a Russian Security Council meeting on Wednesday, when President Vladimir Putin floated the possibility of full-scale nuclear testing.
—Noun
The annual Tournament of Roses Parade precedes kickoff, featuring elaborate floats decorated entirely with flowers, seeds, and natural materials.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for float
Verb
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At Schoedinger Funeral Home, where temperatures hovered around 30 degrees with occasional snow flurries, mourners began arriving shortly after the noon visitation opened.—
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During winter, temperatures hover around 50 to 60 degrees during the day, and drop as low as 30 at night, but the upside is generally fewer tourists and less crowds in the park.—
Verb
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Still, much of the time Froud was content, wandering the set after just learning to walk, unfazed by the elaborate production around him.—
-
That morning, in a new suburb of Glendale, three-year-old Kelly Keen wandered, unattended, out of her house and into the driveway.—
Noun
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In August, while riding a personal watercraft, investigators said a wake from a passing boat sent her into a dock along with her 16-year-old sister, who survived.—
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Authorities say the victim lived on Taylor Road in Bethel Island, on a property that included a small dock for his boat.—
Verb
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The Ravens finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs in heartbreaking fashion, as kicker Tyler Loop’s game-winning field goal attempt sailed wide right.—
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Acrisure Stadium is one of the trickier places to kick in the NFL, as Loop found out last week when his potential game-winning kick sailed wide right on the final play.—
Verb
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Plucked off the staff of then-Jazz head coach Quin Snyder, who is currently in Atlanta with the Hawks, Skeeter is someone Hornets fans see roaming in front of Charlotte’s bench quite often.—
-
More than 200 years ago, bison roamed freely across Illinois, but as the industrial revolution reshaped the landscape, the bison disappeared.—
Noun
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Infrastructure upgrades, including new electrical systems and wharf improvements, are already underway to accommodate the advanced platforms.—
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Nightlife Howard Smith Wharves Once an underused stretch of industrial wharf, Howard Smith Wharves is now Brisbane’s liveliest nightlife destination.—
Verb
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The footage shows the fish start to swim faster and more erratically when a large whale suddenly breaks through the school of fish with its gaping maw.—
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In two years, the Buffs have hopped from the land of tech bros (the old Pac-12) to a conference of oil barons (the Big 12) who swim in fast cash and Texas tea.—
Verb
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News consumers drift toward outlets that favor their politics, giving them a partial view of possible wrongdoing.—
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When next year came, Rice was in the NBA, and gradually the players drifted separate ways.—
Cite this Entry
“Float.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/float. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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