afloat

American  

[uh-floht] / əˈfloʊt /

adverb

1. floating or borne on the water; in a floating condition.

   The ship was set afloat.

2. on board a ship, boat, raft, etc.; at sea.

   cargo afloat and ashore.

3. covered with water; flooded; awash.

   The main deck was afloat.

4. moving without being guided or controlled; drifting.

5. passing from place to place; in circulation.

   A rumor is afloat.

6. free of major trouble, especially financially solvent.

   to keep a venture afloat.

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afloat British  

/ əˈfləʊt /

adjective

1. floating

2. aboard ship; at sea

3. covered with water; flooded

4. aimlessly drifting

   afloat in a sea of indecision

5. in circulation; afoot

   nasty rumours were afloat

6. free of debt; solvent

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Other Word Forms

• half-afloat adjective

Etymology

Origin of afloat

before 1000; Middle English, Old English on flote. See a- ¹, float

Example Sentences

Once afloat, the ice was exposed to powerful ocean forces.

From Science Daily

A long-term equity bull market has kept many ETFs afloat even if they aren’t attracting new investors.

From The Wall Street Journal

Four years later they were roommates with the Under-19s and now Jacks is keeping Brook's first World Cup campaign as captain afloat.

From BBC

Meanwhile, Lucas was pushing Coppola to do a studio film for hire to keep his fledgling Zoetrope Studio afloat, making Coppola feel pressured to sell out.

From Los Angeles Times

Much of the extra crude hasn’t built up in storage hubs tied to benchmark pricing but instead as sanctioned crude lingering at sea, with tankers loaded with Russian, Iranian and Venezuelan barrels swelling inventories afloat.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• adrift