buoy

1 of 2

noun

1
: float sense 2
especially, nautical : a floating object moored to the bottom to mark a channel or something (such as a shoal) lying under the water
swam out toward the buoy
2

Illustration of buoy

Illustration of buoy
  • buoy 1

buoy

2 of 2

verb

buoyed; buoying; buoys

transitive verb

1
: to mark by or as if by a float or buoy
buoy an anchor
2
a
: to keep afloat
a raft buoyed by empty oil drums
b
: support, uplift
an economy buoyed by the dramatic postwar growth of industryTime
3
: to raise the spirits of
usually used with up
hope buoys him up

intransitive verb

: float
usually used with up
They buoyed up like a cork.

Examples of buoy in a Sentence

Verb The tax breaks should help to buoy the economy.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Abbott said as much during the Friday stop, when discussing border security and touting buoys acting as a barrier in the Rio Grande. Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Feb. 2024 The two paddled to a buoy, whose line led to the inky depths below. Elliot Ackerman, WIRED, 9 Feb. 2024 In the movie, Thomas and Sophie buoy Marc with quiet acts of care, keeping him afloat. Laura Zornosa, TIME, 29 Dec. 2023 But don't worry, there's enough room on a buoy for the both of them. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 22 Dec. 2023 The buoys are used to detect submarines and other objects in the water. Lolita C. Baldor, Fortune, 4 Dec. 2023 Texas has also added a number of physical barriers along the border, including a string of large orange buoys and concertina wire along the Rio Grande. Edgar Sandoval, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2024 There has been another legal feud over the establishment of buoys by Texas in the Rio Grande. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 28 Jan. 2024 In a lab space one room over, prototype buoys were pummeled by water churning in wave tanks. Saima May Sidik, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Jan. 2024
Verb
Benzinga Equity markets continued their positive momentum, marking another week of gains since the rally began at the end of October 2023, buoyed by diminishing economic concerns. Detroit Free Press, 2 Mar. 2024 She was buoyed by a fiery dissent by Justice Samuel A. Alito, joined by Justice Clarence Thomas. Karina Elwood, Washington Post, 25 Feb. 2024 The biggest are the upcoming upgrades to Faurot Field and Memorial Stadium, buoyed by a $62 million anonymous donation to the program earlier this year. Jaden Lewis, Kansas City Star, 21 Feb. 2024 The company reported a 4% year-over-year jump in comparable store sales, a number buoyed by an increase in transactions that helped beat analyst expectations. Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 20 Feb. 2024 Unlike a fledgling United States, a China buoyed by possession of Taiwan would have the economic and military means to immediately enforce its own Monroe Doctrine. Andrew S. Erickson, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2024 The year 2024 marks an extraordinary period for the CleanTech sector, buoyed by the Inflation Reduction Act's infusion of capital. Dan Mahoney, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 Meanwhile, Disney’s parks, experiences and consumer products division — which continues to buoy the company thanks to income from the popular Disneyland and Walt Disney World — jumped 7% to $9.1 billion in sales during the first quarter of the new year. Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2024 Though they have been buoyed by the impressive play of first-time All-Star Tyrese Maxey, the Sixers have struggled when Embiid is not the lineup and are 4-10 without their talisman. Sam Joseph, CNN, 5 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'buoy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English boye, probably from Middle Dutch boeye; akin to Old High German bouhhan sign — more at beacon

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1596, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of buoy was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near buoy

Cite this Entry

“Buoy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/buoy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

buoy

1 of 2 noun
1
: a floating object anchored in a body of water to mark a channel or warn of danger
2

buoy

2 of 2 verb
1
: to keep from sinking : keep afloat
2
: to brighten the mood of
the news buoyed him up
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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