as in loads
a considerable amount
the babysitter had to listen to a whole raft of rules before she was allowed to even pick up the baby
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of rafts
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 25 Apr. 2026
The rafts have to be able to withstand exposure for 30 days, according to a code put out by the International Maritime Organization.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
About a mile from Parnell Beach, a group of men on jet skis began riding close to the Beards’ rafts at high speeds, the lawsuit said.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 16 Apr. 2026
The tactic has become more popular with smugglers as police on the beaches try to thwart crossings by puncturing the rafts that groups of migrants have to inflate and carry to the water.
—ABC News, 11 Apr. 2026
To keep the poly from taking on water and sinking, use pool balls and blow-up rafts to support the poly.
—Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026
In Raspail’s tale, hordes of impoverished and dark-skinned brutes from India descend onto French shores by way of rafts, the first wave of an invasion of the civilized West by the brown-skinned developing world.
—Literary Hub, 8 Apr. 2026
From hovering inflatables that double as rafts, to multi-story tree stacks, to in-air winter lodges, Tentsile has developed what might be the world's most singular lineup of hanging tents.
—New Atlas, 25 Mar. 2026
The volunteer group's flights centered on spotting Cuban refugees fleeing their homeland and attempting to come to the United States, often in makeshift boats or rafts.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026
Noun
The plane’s pieces are now, in effect, life rafts (though there are some actual oversize yellow inflatable rafts aboard that will come into play).
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 25 Apr. 2026
The rafts have to be able to withstand exposure for 30 days, according to a code put out by the International Maritime Organization.
—Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
About a mile from Parnell Beach, a group of men on jet skis began riding close to the Beards’ rafts at high speeds, the lawsuit said.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 16 Apr. 2026
The tactic has become more popular with smugglers as police on the beaches try to thwart crossings by puncturing the rafts that groups of migrants have to inflate and carry to the water.
—ABC News, 11 Apr. 2026
To keep the poly from taking on water and sinking, use pool balls and blow-up rafts to support the poly.
—Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2026
In Raspail’s tale, hordes of impoverished and dark-skinned brutes from India descend onto French shores by way of rafts, the first wave of an invasion of the civilized West by the brown-skinned developing world.
—Literary Hub, 8 Apr. 2026
From hovering inflatables that double as rafts, to multi-story tree stacks, to in-air winter lodges, Tentsile has developed what might be the world's most singular lineup of hanging tents.
—New Atlas, 25 Mar. 2026
The volunteer group's flights centered on spotting Cuban refugees fleeing their homeland and attempting to come to the United States, often in makeshift boats or rafts.
—Terry Collins, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rafts
Noun
-
Engineers can simulate movements, loads, and environmental conditions before real deployment.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Apr. 2026
-
However, there are moments of reprieve between loads of clothes, sheets, and towels.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
An engine defect grounded dozens of its planes.—
Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
2 May 2026
-
Photograph courtesy 2025 Adama Films / Shochiku Yasujirō Ozu, who made dozens of masterworks from the nineteen-thirties through the early sixties, is among the most misunderstood of great directors.—
Dan Stahl,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Cut with a curved outer seam that balloons slightly through the thigh before tapering at the ankle, the shape is all about creating volume.—
Daisy Maldonado,
InStyle,
29 Dec. 2025
-
The mid-rise jeans have an exaggerated barrel silhouette that balloons out at the knee and tapers into a wide-leg fit at the ankle.—
Clara McMahon,
PEOPLE,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Night after night after closing his Boyle Heights bicycle shop, Reyes brought his equipment down the long, dark corridor leading to the bikes — initially about 280 of them — that were tossed in piles over the years.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
-
An hour later, the device designed to plunge as deep as 4,000 meters is gliding over piles of round pitchers on the sea floor.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Hathaway’s White Queen floats with sweet highs and dark lows, her heavenly air masking a morbid psychosis.—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
-
One idea the team floats is that zinc and manganese are limited resources, so scorpions can only reinforce the most critical parts of the stingers instead of spreading the metals across their entire exoskeleton.—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Amazon Leo 5, which launched on April 4, boosted that number to 29 and set a new record for the heaviest payload ever flown by an Atlas V in the process — 18 tons.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Broward generates 5 million tons of garbage annually, or 20,000 pounds per minute.—
Mike Ryan,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There’s an owner whose name’s in there hundreds of times.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Some of the original board members are still involved with the museum, but hundreds more joined the effort, some volunteering, others donating surf boards and memorabilia, and many sharing their stories, including famous surfers from Eddie Aikau, Nat Young, Greg Noll and Donald Takayama.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Stacks of matching fabric bundles will look calmer and more cohesive than mismatched plastic bins.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Their items include book bundles for kids and adults, bookmarks, stickers, beadwork, and annotation kits.—
Sean Krofssik,
Hartford Courant,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rafts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rafts. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
