afloat

Afloat is a term used to describe the condition of floating on the surface of a liquid or being buoyant enough to remain above the liquid. In everyday and nautical contexts, it commonly refers to ships, boats, and other objects that do not sink. The state of being afloat depends on buoyancy and weight relative to the surrounding water; an object displaces enough water to counteract gravity, allowing it to ride on the surface.

In maritime practice, a vessel is said to be afloat when it remains on the water’s surface and is not grounded or sunk. A vessel can be afloat yet temporarily immobile, awaiting maintenance or clearance to sail. Afloat status is often contrasted with sunk, wrecked, beached, or adrift. The phrase keep afloat is widely used to describe staying financially viable or continuing to operate despite difficulties.

Etymology: afloat is formed from the prefix a- meaning on or at, combined with float; the term has been in use in English since the 16th century.

Related terms: adrift describes floating freely with no fixed point of reference or control, while afloat emphasizes buoyancy on a surface. The concept also appears in figurative use, where things such as businesses, programs, or economies are said to be afloat when they survive or remain solvent.