AFLOAT Synonyms: 26 Similar and Opposite Words

afloat 1 of 2

adjective

ə-ˈflōt

Definition of afloat

as in floating

riding upon the surface of a body of liquid the boat can't stay afloat much longer

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

afloat

2 of 2

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 afloat

Adjective

Unlike previous Ship splashdowns, though, which have exploded after tipping over into the water, Ship 40 remained largely intact and afloat. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 14 Oct. 2026 Such outlets depended heavily on taxpayer funding, which fed into state advertising and government communication campaigns, and have now lost the support that kept them afloat. — Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 13 Oct. 2026 The guest lectures, speaking engagements, and board memberships have all dried up, and Housewives is pretty much the only thing keeping her afloat. — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026 Through a long winter, more young players will be forced to sell off pieces of their future just to stay afloat. — Chris Koras, Sportico.com, 28 Sep. 2026 There are no grand revelations here, just cups of tea, glasses of wine, difficult clients, bad jokes, old songs, and the small acts through which people keep one another afloat. — Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 19 Sep. 2026 Recovery and transformation As small businesses in the area fought to stay afloat, an injection of federal cash helped the effort. — Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 11 Sep. 2026 McArn argued that rescinding the MOU had worsened the district’s financial position and reiterated that restoring the agreement would help the district stay afloat. — Chaewon Chung updated September 10, Sacbee.com, 10 Sep. 2026 Colombian medical clinics serving Venezuelan migrants closed after private funders kept them afloat for several months. — James Pollard, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Adverb

Joe should be credited for being the steady hand who kept the leaking ship afloat long enough to win a couple of unlikely division titles. — Matt Kawahara, Houston Chronicle, 15 Oct. 2026 For now, the leading AI companies can stay afloat by attracting huge investment (OpenAI and Anthropic), or subsidizing their AI operations with their traditional revenue streams (Google and Meta). — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 14 Oct. 2026 Creditors continue to roll over loans to keep struggling firms afloat, even as nearly a third of them are losing money. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026 The family has since scrambled to keep their business and household afloat. — Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026 Seth Herald | Reuters Many immigrant business owners depleted their life savings to keep stores afloat during the surge, according to Jason Chavez, a Minneapolis City Council member who represents part of Lake Street. — Alex Harring, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026 That may be true, but the company’s hybrids are what’s keeping its EV business afloat. — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 5 Oct. 2026 Boone, meanwhile, helped keep the Yankees afloat as paramount players such as Judge, Fried and Giancarlo Stanton missed considerable time. — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 2 Oct. 2026 The post goes on to say that loyal, regular customers are what kept FunDimension afloat. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for afloat

Adjective

Companies with a smaller market value generally tend to have more floating rate debt than larger businesses.

— Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2025
Social media posts and years of reviewing cookie-cutter luxury hotels had conditioned me to equate floating breakfasts, monogrammed accessories, butler service, and aromatherapy menus as markers of a dreamy luxury vacation.

— Katherine Alex Beaven, Travel + Leisure, 22 Oct. 2024

Definition of floating

Adverb

Wealthy foreigners put hundreds of thousands of dollars into real estate or businesses, and governments gave them a foothold abroad.

— Mia Osmonbekov, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
On voting lists of Lebanese citizens, about 4,000 Jews are still listed in Beirut and about 1,000 in the southern port city of Sidon, but many are likely living abroad.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of abroad

Adverb

This time the recipient is area rancher Benjamin Bonney (Dermot Mulroney), who along with his thuggish sons is suspected of murdering anyone hereabouts who won’t surrender their own land to him.

— Dennis Harvey, Variety, 10 Jan. 2025
Blame the damp and moderate climate hereabouts or the particular ardor of the northern red-legged frog, but our target species is ready to hop anytime between early November and the middle of March.

— Murr Brewster, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Mar. 2024

Definition of hereabouts

Adverb

Best Buy’s iPhone Duo Preorder Deals Like everywhere else, preorders for the iPhone Duo at Best Buy are also now live.

— Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026
But in fashion, demand often peaks much earlier, when a piece is new, in season or suddenly everywhere because a creator wore it.

— Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of everywhere

Browse Nearby Words

aflame

afloat

aflutter

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“Afloat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/afloat. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of afloat

adjective

adverb

Example Sentences

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