buoy
/ˈbuːi/
verb
- To keep something afloat or prevent it from sinking.
- Air pockets in the wood buoyed the old shipwreck to the surface.
- The life jacket buoyed the child until help arrived.
- Special floats buoy the fishing nets so they don't sink.
- To support, encourage, or lift someone's spirits.
- The good news buoyed everyone in the office.
- Her coach's confidence in her buoyed her through the competition.
- A warm meal and a kind smile can buoy a person's whole day.
- To mark or indicate a location with a buoy.
- Divers buoyed the spot where the anchor was lost.
- The harbor master buoyed the new swimming area for safety.
- The crew buoyed the channel to guide boats safely through.
Antonyms
noun
- A floating object anchored in water to mark a location, warn of danger, or guide boats.
- Sailors rely on buoys to avoid shallow rocks near the shore.
- A buoy with a bell warns ships of the underwater wreck.
- The red buoy marks the entrance to the harbor.
- Something that gives support, hope, or encouragement.
- The team's early victory served as a buoy for their confidence.
- Her kind words were a buoy for my spirits during a hard week.
- For many, music is a buoy that lifts them out of sadness.