afloat

[uh-floht]

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.

afloat

/ 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

Other Word Forms

• half-afloat adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of afloat¹

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

Example Sentences

At the same time, the feats of Mr. Goddio and company—accomplished through a combination of mathematics, historical hunches and old-fashioned deep-sea diving—will keep a viewer afloat.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Now it is the opposite, and federal workers are turning to side hustles to stay afloat.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But even if listener tastes don't change significantly, a glut of AI podcasts can "still impact the art form," independent podcasting where most programs are barely managing to stay afloat.

Read more on Barron's

He doubtless also believed that his government’s survival was in the national interest and made compromises to keep it afloat.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

To keep ObamaCare afloat, the federal government has propped it up with hundreds of billions of dollars in handouts directly to the insurance industry while failing to lower costs.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• adrift