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

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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

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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
Upstairs in his bedroom, trying to sleep, Ozzy Osbourne has just about had it with all the goddamn noise floating in from outside his window. Erik Hedegaard, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2025 In 2022, a 41-year-old man died while floating over Dillon Falls in an innertube, the Salem Statesman Journal reported. Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 22 July 2025
Noun
Why is there a parade float in the shed at a cemetery? Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 16 July 2025 Hudson's stylist Lopez also joined the ladies on a large float in the ocean. Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 14 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for float
Recent Examples of Synonyms for float
Verb
  • Gold has been hovering in the mid-$3,300s this week, but a change in the appetite for stocks could raise demand for the precious metal.
    Catherine Brock, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
  • Our first destination, with the hazy sun hovering over the Norway pine trees skirting Mirror Lake, was the beach bar.
    Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 15 July 2025
Verb
  • Historically, the species roamed throughout much of the Southwest through central Mexico before being nearly eradicated from the wild by the 1970s, largely due to conflicts with the livestock industry.
    Shelby Slade, AZCentral.com, 24 July 2025
  • The Rhône spills into the wild Camargue delta, where white horses gallop through salt marshes, flamingos strike poses in pink lagoons, and black bulls roam freely beneath the vast Provençal sky.
    Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
Noun
  • Police officials will explain how the new police drones can be remotely deployed and piloted toward the scene of an incident from docks placed across the city.
    Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 26 July 2025
  • As the plague spread, the island was converted into a maritime quarantine dock for merchant ships arriving from abroad and for people with symptoms.
    Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 25 July 2025
Verb
  • Boaters can set out from the property and sail into Vineyard Harbor and the open waters beyond.
    Mary Forgione, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • Inspired by Soap Box Derby races, they were engineered simply so families could assemble them at home for kids to learn to sail.
    Katie Strasberg Rousso, Southern Living, 12 July 2025
Verb
  • Between all that, cosplayers wander around and fans stop to buy action figures, play video games and meet their favorite artists.
    Olivia Petty, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 July 2025
  • The clinic recommends taking actions including wearing bug spray with DEET, wearing gloves when dealing with animals that could be infected, and not allowing pets to wander around outside if located in an area that is known to have plague.
    Chantelle Lee, Time, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • The base includes six wharves—each approximately 755 feet long—capable of accommodating up to 12 submarines.
    Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 June 2025
  • Past the Heritage Project buildings the road curves around to the right and down to the ferry wharf.
    Robert Finch June 18, Literary Hub, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • In addition, ensure dogs do not swim in rivers, lakes or ponds with discoloration or harmful algal blooms, of which are potentially toxic to them, according to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
    Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 24 July 2025
  • In a video shared on Instagram on July 8, Hayward was captured swimming in a cloud of foam in the ocean near Cape Town, South Africa.
    Gabrielle Rockson, People.com, 23 July 2025
Verb
  • As agencies begin translating priorities into rules and funding decisions, implementation could drift into partisan favoritism.
    Paulo Carvão, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
  • After months of wavering support and signs of growing disillusionment, new polling suggests Gen Z voters are beginning to drift back toward the Democratic Party.
    Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Float.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/float. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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