adj
afloat
uh-FLOHT
adj
1
Floating on the surface of water rather than sinking.
"The life raft kept them afloat until the rescue boat arrived."
2
Financially stable enough to keep operating, without necessarily thriving.
"The small bakery barely stayed afloat during the recession."
"They took on extra shifts just to keep the business afloat."
How to Use Afloat
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNot sinking — either literally in water, or figuratively financially surviving.
Common pairings
keep afloat
stay afloat
financially afloat
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “afloat”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The life raft kept them _____ until the rescue boat arrived.
Etymology
From Old English a- ("on") plus "float."