free-floating
adjective
free-float·ing
ˈfrē-ˈflō-tiŋ 
1
a
: floating freely
free-floating vegetation
b
: lacking specific attachment, direction, or purpose
free-floating ideas
2
: felt as an emotion without apparent cause
free-floating anxiety
Examples of free-floating in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Smaller objects can form in these nebulae as well, including free-floating planets.
—
Phil Plait, Scientific American, 14 June 2024
Typical lures include bead rigs and egg sacs to mimic free-floating eggs that steelhead key in on.
—Max Inchausti, Field & Stream, 12 June 2024
But free-floating balloons were, and still are, at the mercy of the winds.
—Erik Ofgang, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 June 2024
This left behind an abundance of free-floating oxygen atoms for organisms to use.
—Tara Wu, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 May 2024
Outside that context, and free-floating on social media, this content attracted the ire of those who specifically study cannabis and its effects on the brain and body.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 8 May 2024
But after that, the balloon will be at the mercy of the wind, free-floating for up to 35 minutes and ideally passing through the path of totality.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
These places have long been associated with boredom, with a vague, free-floating malaise.
—Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2024
Researchers and clinicians working with combat veterans have shown how avoiding thinking or talking about an overwhelming and painful event can lead to free-floating sadness and anger, all of which can become attached to present circumstances.
—George Makari, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2024
Phil Plait, Scientific American, 14 June 2024
Typical lures include bead rigs and egg sacs to mimic free-floating eggs that steelhead key in on.
—Max Inchausti, Field & Stream, 12 June 2024
But free-floating balloons were, and still are, at the mercy of the winds.
—Erik Ofgang, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 June 2024
This left behind an abundance of free-floating oxygen atoms for organisms to use.
—Tara Wu, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 May 2024
Outside that context, and free-floating on social media, this content attracted the ire of those who specifically study cannabis and its effects on the brain and body.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 8 May 2024
But after that, the balloon will be at the mercy of the wind, free-floating for up to 35 minutes and ideally passing through the path of totality.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
These places have long been associated with boredom, with a vague, free-floating malaise.
—Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2024
Researchers and clinicians working with combat veterans have shown how avoiding thinking or talking about an overwhelming and painful event can lead to free-floating sadness and anger, all of which can become attached to present circumstances.
—George Makari, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'free-floating.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near free-floating
Cite this Entry
“Free-floating.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/free-floating. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
free-floating
adjective
free-float·ing
ˈfrē-ˈflōt-iŋ
: felt as an emotion without apparent cause
free-floating anxiety
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share