adjective
Common
floating
FLOH-tihng
Floating (adjective) means resting on top of a liquid or drifting through the air rather than sinking or falling. Example: “A floating leaf drifted slowly down the stream and past the old bridge.”
adjective
1
Resting on top of a liquid or drifting through the air rather than sinking or falling.
"A floating leaf drifted slowly down the stream and past the old bridge."
"Floating balloons filled the ceiling of the hall during the party."
"A floating dock bobbed gently at the marina."
2
Not fixed in one position, place, or opinion; free to move or change.
"In China, the large floating population has tended to gravitate to cities."
"You can drag the floating toolbars to any position on the screen."
"She has a floating role that shifts between departments."
"The outcome of the forthcoming election is still unclear due to the large number of floating voters."
How to use floating
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNot fixed in place — either literally staying on the surface of a liquid, or figuratively free to move or shift.
Common pairings
floating dock
floating voter
floating rate
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Word forms
- Plural
- floatings
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Can you complete this real example?
A _____ leaf drifted slowly down the stream and past the old bridge.
Etymology
On the surface, made up of float + -ing.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for floating
See all rhymes for floating →Frequently asked questions
What does “floating” mean?
The word “floating” means resting on top of a liquid or drifting through the air rather than sinking or falling. In plain terms, not fixed in place — either literally staying on the surface of a liquid, or figuratively free to move or shift.
How do you pronounce “floating”?
“Floating” is pronounced FLOH-tihng (/ˈfloʊtɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “floating” in a sentence?
Here is “floating” used in a sentence: “A floating dock bobbed gently at the marina.”
What part of speech is “floating”?
“Floating” is an adjective.
Is “floating” a common word?
“Floating” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “floating” have?
“Floating” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: resting on top of a liquid or drifting through the air rather than sinking or falling.
What is the difference between floating and drifting?
Floating means resting on top of a liquid or being suspended in the air rather than sinking or falling. Drifting adds the idea of being carried along by a current or the wind, so something can float in one spot but drift only when it is moving.
When should you use floating instead of sinking?
Use floating when something stays on the surface of a liquid or hovers in the air, and sinking when it drops below the surface. The two describe opposite outcomes, so a buoyant object is floating while a heavy one is sinking.
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