float 1 of 2

Definition of floatnext
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

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2
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

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
Official production fell off to almost nothing after the war, which isn't surprising, since there might have been as many as a million floating about with many never issued. David Szondy august 30, New Atlas, 30 Aug. 2026 The Port of Long Beach is now working with local startup Bluecore Energy to build SMRs on floating barges—though the project remains at least a few years from reality. Jordan Blum, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
Noun
Santosh Kumar, 76, waved at the crowd from a float decked out with flags and white, orange and green streamers. Evgenia Anastasakos, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026 Haunted Mansion props on the parade floats will include the conservatory casket, cryptic gravestones, gargoyle candleholders, watchful busts, haunted armor and stretching room portraits. Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for float
Recent Examples of Synonyms for float
Verb
  • The overwater bungalows are pretty special, hovering over lapping waves where guests can stay in total peace and solitude.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Parton didn’t stop with Dollywood By the early 1990s, Parton created The Dollywood Foundation with the goal of decreasing the high school drop out rate in Sevier County, which was hovering around 30%.
    Kimberlee Kruesi, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • And, conversely, which (if any) caused folks to wander off hunting for a Pronto Pup instead.
    Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 31 Aug. 2026
  • And naturally your eyes wander where there is the most roster bloat — either at the tight end position (five players) or the offensive line (10).
    Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 31 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Boat houses, boat landings, docks, piers and mooring posts must be built according to plans approved by the village council and require a Miami-Dade County environmental permit.
    Luisa Yanez Updated September 3, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
  • As the video above by Lake Como Wonders highlights, owners also enjoy access to the sprawling grounds, shared pool, private beach, two parking spots, and a private dock and boathouse.
    Jerry Perez, The Drive, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Shallow groundwater stores supported fruit orchards, alfalfa fields, livestock ranches and, at one point, a water park and dozens of manmade lakes where people could fish, sail and water ski.
    Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The 91-meter (298-foot) Alsu is an oil or chemical tanker sailing from Kocaeli, east of Istanbul, to Aliaga on the Aegean coast, according to the Marine Traffic website.
    ABC News, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • One aspect of Eloise’s personality that her parents and brother treasure the most is her connection with animals, from family pets to the deer and horses roaming on the ranch.
    Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
  • For nearly a hundred years, mule deer have roamed across the scenic but fragile ecosystem of Catalina Island in Southern California, ultimately becoming an ecological fixture and tourist attraction for folks who visit from the mainland.
    Noe Padilla, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • But in 1820, Shippingport had about 600 residents, three wharves for steamboats, taverns and a flour mill.
    Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The redevelopment would change that by extending and upgrading existing wharves and dredging areas around the docks.
    David Nikel, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Sixteen beaches are not recommended for swimming by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
    Lucia Cheng, Des Moines Register, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Children swim as ships are seen anchored in the Strait of Hormuz on August 10, 2026 off the coast of Bandar Abbas, Iran.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The vehicle drifted to the right toward the shoulder, struck the woman and continued south on Franklin Boulevard, according to the CHP.
    Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The montage ended bizarrely, with a clip of Clooney drifting into space to die in the film Gravity.
    Nate Jones, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Float.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/float. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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