stay afloat
stay afloat — verb
- stay afloatpresent simple I / you / we / they
- stays afloat3rd person singular
- staying afloat-ing form
- stayed afloatpast simple
1. to remain on the surface of water and not sink below it, especially when this re
to remain on the surface of water and not sink below it, especially when this requires effort or support.
The children used life jackets to stay afloat in the pool while they practised kicking.
collocation: 'stay afloat in [body of water]'
After the storm, the crew grabbed driftwood to stay afloat until rescuers arrived.
collocation: 'stay afloat with [object]'
Yuki stayed afloat by holding onto the side of the boat during the swimming test.
The lifeguard showed the campers how to stay afloat using only their arms and legs.
- float
less effortful, describes a natural property of an object
- keep afloat
same meaning but often implies an agent helping something stay up
- sink
to go below the surface of water
文法句型
stay afloat
manage to stay afloat
struggle to stay afloat
用法筆記
Unlike 'float', which can describe an object's natural state, 'stay afloat' emphasises an intentional or effortful continuation of floating. Frequently used with 'manage to', 'struggle to', or 'help/keep someone'.
常見錯誤
2. to have just enough money to pay bills, debts, and operating costs without going
to have just enough money to pay bills, debts, and operating costs without going bankrupt or shutting down.
The bakery barely stayed afloat after rent doubled, so Lin Mei sold cakes online.
collocation: 'struggle to stay afloat'
Arjun took on tutoring work to stay afloat while his photography business grew.
collocation: 'to stay afloat while [situation]'
The charity relies on donations to stay afloat during the winter months.
Chen Wei's restaurant barely stays afloat, but he refuses to close it.
- survive financially
more formal, often used about larger organisations
- keep one's head above water
idiomatic, more informal and vivid
- break even
more specific — exactly covering costs with no profit or loss
- go bankrupt
to become unable to pay debts and be forced to close
- go under
informal synonym for bankrupt or fail financially
文法句型
manage to stay afloat
keep (something/someone) afloat
用法筆記
Commonly used for small businesses, start-ups, or individuals rather than large corporations. Often paired with 'barely', 'just barely', or 'somehow' to emphasise the difficulty.
常見錯誤
3. to continue to exist, operate, or remain relevant when facing difficulties or ad
to continue to exist, operate, or remain relevant when facing difficulties or adverse changes — implying a struggle rather than clear success.
The local newspaper stayed afloat through the digital shift by launching a strong online edition.
collocation: 'stay afloat through [change]'
The Northwood High hockey team stayed afloat this season despite losing five of its best players to injuries.
collocation: 'stay afloat despite [difficulty]'
After their families objected to the engagement, Pim and Tanvi stayed afloat by focusing on their shared goals.
The village's traditional puppet theatre has stayed afloat thanks to a group of young apprentices learning the craft.
- keep going
informal, general continuation without the water metaphor
- survive
simpler term, can apply to any kind of difficulty
文法句型
stay afloat
manage to stay afloat
用法筆記
Unlike sense 2 (financial survival with money), this sense applies to careers, relationships, creative projects, or teams that persist despite non-monetary difficulties — e.g. competitive pressure, personal conflict, or changing tastes. 'Keep something afloat' is more common than 'stay afloat' in this sense.