Float: meaning, definitions and examples

Used when something is lightly suspended in liquid or air without sinking.

• The leaves float on the surface of the river
• The balloon floats in the air

Refers to a slow, steady movement often caused by outside forces like wind or water currents.

• The boat began to drift away from the shore
• Snow started to drift across the road

Describes a smooth and often effortless movement through or over a surface.

• The skater can glide gracefully across the ice
• The bird glides through the sky with outstretched wings

Indicates staying in one place in the air, usually with slight, controlled movements.

• The helicopter can hover above the landing pad
• A hummingbird hovers while sipping nectar from a flower

Usually used in finance to describe the release of a company’s shares to the public.

• The company decided to float its shares on the stock market.
• The IPO allowed the startup to float and raise substantial capital.

Refers to wealth in the form of money or assets, used to start or maintain a business.

• The new business required a large amount of capital to get started.
• She invested all her capital in the new venture.

Refers to the act of putting money into something to gain profit or achieve a return.

• Real estate is considered a solid investment.
• Her investment in technology stocks paid off handsomely.

Denotes a pool of money set aside for a specific purpose, often used in investing or saving.

• He decided to put his savings into an education fund for his children.
• The charity received a substantial donation to their emergency fund.