buoyant

adjective

buoy·​ant ˈbȯi-ənt How to pronounce buoyant (audio)
ˈbü-yənt
Synonyms of buoyantnext
: having buoyancy
Warm air is more buoyant than cool air.
: such as
a
: capable of floating
Cork is naturally buoyant.
b
: cheerful, gay
in a buoyant mood
c
: capable of maintaining a satisfactorily high level
a buoyant economy
buoyantly adverb

Examples of buoyant in a Sentence

Warm air is more buoyant than cool air. The actors were buoyant as they prepared for the evening's performance.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The cake's crumb is buoyant enough to keep the berries from sinking to the bottom of the batter but light enough to be delicate and tender. Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 20 Apr. 2026 His voice was in its usual form, bright and buoyant, but with a new heaviness that has creeped in with age. Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2026 Numerous cycles later, these remain as buoyant as ever. Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 15 Apr. 2026 Aussie skipper Tom Slingsby was buoyant after a difficult session on the water in light and fluky winds wafting off the city and around the edge of Sugarloaf Mountain. Andrew Rice, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for buoyant

Word History

Etymology

see buoy entry 1

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of buoyant was in 1578

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Buoyant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/buoyant. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

buoyant

adjective
buoy·​ant ˈbȯi-ənt How to pronounce buoyant (audio)
ˈbü-yənt
1
: having buoyancy
especially : capable of floating
2
: being in a happy mood : cheerful
buoyantly adverb

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