refloat

verb

re·​float (ˌ)rē-ˈflōt How to pronounce refloat (audio)
refloated; refloating

transitive verb

: to float (something) again
Although there are no plans to refloat the wreck, divers expect to carefully document and remove whatever they can of Franklin's flagship.Bob Weber
New Zealand conservation authorities said 240 pilot whales that were stranded overnight at a remote bay … refloated themselves on Sunday and were swimming offshore.Reuters
Banks were refloated and the US trade deficit returned to its pre-2008 level.Yanis Varoufakis

Examples of refloat in a Sentence

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.
Iran has lately refloated a 2007 idea of a consortium of Muslim states to do nuclear enrichment, including its longtime rival, Saudi Arabia, which wants to begin its own civilian nuclear enrichment program in cooperation with the United States. Steven Erlanger, New York Times, 17 May 2025 Authorities used explosives to blow up a piece of bridge that sat atop the Dali and refloated the vessel in late May. Boston Herald Wire Services, Boston Herald, 23 June 2024 On May 20, the ship was refloated and guided back to port. Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 17 Sep. 2024 Prompted by the collapse, the Coast Guard has initiated a board of inquiry to evaluate potential risks to other bridges in the U.S. Last month, crews used explosives to cut up a piece of the Key Bridge that sat atop the Dali, then refloated the vessel. Jean Marbella, Baltimore Sun, 24 June 2024 See All Example Sentences for refloat

Word History

First Known Use

1812, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of refloat was in 1812

Cite this Entry

“Refloat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refloat. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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