float
verb (used without object)
to rest or remain on the surface of a liquid; be buoyant.
were floating
-
past progressiveof float.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
By January, entire plot summaries were floating around social media, while the movie-logging platform Letterboxd was review-bombed with leaks and poor ratings.
From Salon ● Mar. 6, 2026
"In the end, we just held on to the upside-down life raft and floated. We were floating at sea for more than three hours," he said.
From Barron's ● Jan. 26, 2026
"But in the end, we sensed that something changed... there was a sense that we were floating."
From BBC ● Jun. 21, 2023
Others were floating at sea or otherwise inaccessible.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 22, 2023
Dishes were floating around their feet, along with boxes and cans of food, but nothing to drink.
From "I Survived Hurricane Katrina, 2005" by Lauren Tarshis
