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 Words From

• half-a·float adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of afloat¹

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

Example Sentences

It calls for reducing Medicaid payments to hospitals, which keep some institutions, especially rural hospitals, fiscally afloat.

From Los Angeles Times

Election mourners won’t find much solace in their newsfeeds, but there is something else to keep us afloat for now: the font of absurdist humor produced by a Trump presidency.

From Los Angeles Times

“With careers collapsing and organisations struggling to keep afloat, artists are increasingly having to leave the industry completely, and arts organisations are diminishing their output as they fight for survival,” she said.

From BBC

In fact, they worked harder those years because they knew they had to keep everything afloat.

From Los Angeles Times

He had holed thousands of such putts on his way to joining Europe’s elite tour; now he needed one more to keep his fledgling career afloat.

From BBC

Related Words

• adrift