buoyed

American  

[boo-eed, boid] / ˈbu id, bɔɪd /

adjective

1. Nautical. marked with buoys, or distinctively marked floats.

   A buoyed channel guides ships into the inner lagoon.

   Swimming and snorkeling are restricted to the buoyed swimming area.

2. Nautical. made to float or rise in water by means of attached buoys or floats.

   To haul a trap, the lobsterman catches hold of the buoyed trap line with a gaff hook and hauls it up by hand.

3. sustained, encouraged, or supported.

   A buoyed Scotland team began the second half with renewed optimism.

   Following the win, the buoyed opposition leader attacked the chief minister, saying he should immediately tender his resignation.

4. enhanced or increased.

   Boston is really on a roll in 2017, with the greatest football team in the world, a buoyed economy, and packed streets and hotels.

   Despite buoyed expectations, experts nevertheless admit that the country is still lacking the means to fully realize its ambitious goals.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of buoy.

Other Word Forms

• unbuoyed
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of buoyed

buoy ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

JGB prices may also be buoyed by Tuesday’s decline in crude oil prices, which eases inflationary pressures in Japan.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 17, 2026

The estimated $7.1-billion operations budget is also buoyed by $2.5 billion in expected sponsorship revenue.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

“Some potential homebuyers are buoyed by massive stock market gains and business profits, while others are hamstrung by inflation and interest rates at their highest levels of the year,” he wrote.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

In October 2025, Bitcoin hit an all-time high of around $126,000, buoyed by a continued wave of institutional investment and positive market sentiment.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

We waded into the crowd, hands linked, our snaking line slightly parabolic in the middle where Olive buoyed up like an astronaut walking on the moon.

From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs