float

To stay on the surface of water or another liquid without sinking.

• The leaf floated on the water.
• I like to float on my back in the pool.
• Several empty bottles were floating near the boat.

How to use it: float on something (A leaf floated on the pond.); float in something (Small pieces of ice floated in my drink.)

Similar words: stay afloat

Opposites: sink

Common phrases: float on water, float in something, float on your back

To be able to stay on the surface of a liquid without sinking.

• Cork can float.
• Does this type of plastic float in water?
• Our homemade boat would not float, even without passengers.

Similar words: be buoyant

Opposites: sink

Common phrases: float in water, float or sink, float easily

To put something in water or another liquid so it stays on the surface.

• We floated a toy boat in the bath.
• The workers floated the logs down the river.
• Can we float this raft on the lake?

How to use it: float something on/in something (The children floated paper boats on the pond.)

Similar words: launch

Opposites: sink, submerge

Common phrases: float a boat, float a raft, float something downstream

An object that stays on water and supports something or keeps it near the surface.

• The child held a swimming float.
• Attach a small float to the fishing line.
• Two floats kept the equipment above the water.

Similar words: buoy, flotation device

Common phrases: fishing float, swimming float, attach a float, supporting float

A vehicle covered with decorations that moves along in a public celebration.

• The float was covered in flowers.
• Children waved from a float in the parade.
• Several colorful floats moved slowly along the main street.

Similar words: parade vehicle

Common phrases: parade float, carnival float, decorated float

A drink made by putting ice cream into a sweet fizzy drink.

• I ordered a root beer float.
• She made floats with cola and vanilla ice cream.
• Would you like a straw for your float?

Similar words: ice cream soda

Common phrases: root beer float, ice cream float, soda float

A flat tool used to make wet concrete or plaster smooth.

• Use a float to smooth the concrete.
• The builder cleaned the plaster from his float.
• Wooden floats leave a different finish from metal ones.

Common phrases: concrete float, wooden float, plastering float