waft

1 of 2

verb

ˈwäft  ˈwaft 

wafted; wafting; wafts

intransitive verb

: to move or go lightly on or as if on a buoyant medium

heavenly aromas wafted from the kitchen

transitive verb

: to cause to move or go lightly by or as if by the impulse of wind or waves

wafter noun

waft

2 of 2

noun

1

: something (such as an odor) that is wafted : whiff

2

: a slight breeze : puff

3

: the act of waving

4

: a pennant or flag used to signal or to show wind direction

Synonyms

Verb

• drift
• float
• glide
• hang
• hover
• poise
• ride
• sail
• swim

Noun

• air
• breath
• breeze
• puff
• zephyr

Examples of waft in a Sentence

Verb

The smell of chicken soup wafted up to my bedroom.

The sound of music wafted softly into the yard from our neighbor's house.

A breeze wafted the scent of roses towards our table.

Noun

wafts carrying the scent of spring flowers

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

And the flavor of that savory bowl and the aroma wafting through your kitchen will remind you that someone is taking care of you – even if that someone is you. —Randy McMullen, The Mercury News, 1 Nov. 2024

Just as a fragrant lily delightfully wafting in open air may overwhelm when set in a dining room vase, even desirable scents may be supercharged in small spaces. —Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Oct. 2024

Noun

With one waft of a sage stick, you’re transported somewhere else entirely. —Caroline Tell, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024

On Saturday at the festival’s Olympia Theatre, however, a distinct waft of emotion was in the air when Athina Rachel Tsangari arrived to present her latest feature Harvest. —Zac Ntim, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, perhaps from past participle of Middle English (northern dialect) waffen, by-form of Middle English waven to wave

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

1607, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

waft

1 of 2 verb

ˈwäft  ˈwaft 

: to move or be moved lightly by or as if by the action of wind or waves

waft

2 of 2 noun

: a slight breeze : puff