floating

Staying on the surface of water or another liquid instead of sinking.

• Floating leaves covered the pond.
• We crossed the lake on a floating platform.
• The rescue boat avoided the floating debris.

Similar words: afloat

Opposites: sunken

Common phrases: floating debris, floating island, floating platform

Not fixed in one position, opinion, or arrangement, and able to change or move.

• Floating voters may decide the election.
• The country uses a floating exchange rate.
• A floating population moves between towns looking for work.

Similar words: unfixed, changeable

Opposites: fixed

Common phrases: floating voter, floating exchange rate, floating population

Represented in a language’s sound structure but not attached to a particular sound or syllable.

• The analysis includes a floating tone.
• A floating feature may attach to the next syllable.
• Researchers disagree about the position of this floating tone.

Common phrases: floating tone, floating feature

The movement of something resting on a liquid’s surface.

• The gentle floating of the leaves was calming.
• We watched the floating of logs down the river.
• A weak current caused the slow floating of the raft.

Similar words: drifting

Common phrases: gentle floating, floating of logs

Material that rests on the surface of a liquid.

• The floating formed a thin layer on the water.
• Workers removed the floating from the tank.
• The sample contained floating as well as heavier material.

Similar words: floating material

Common phrases: remove the floating, floating in water

The work of spreading and smoothing a soft covering on walls.

• Floating gives the wall a smooth surface.
• The plaster needs floating before it dries.
• Careful floating removed the marks left by the tool.

Common phrases: floating of plaster, wall floating

The treatment of making sharp parts of a horse’s teeth smooth with a tool.

• The horse needs floating.
• Regular floating can help a horse chew comfortably.
• The vet checked its teeth before floating.

Common phrases: dental floating, routine floating