aloft

1 of 2

adverb

1
: at or to a great height
measuring the winds aloft
2
: in the air
especially : in flight (as in an airplane)
meals served aloft
3
: at, on, or to the masthead or the higher rigging
went aloft to unfurl the sails

aloft

2 of 2

preposition

: on top of : above
bright signs aloft hotels

Examples of aloft in a Sentence

Adverb The balloon stayed aloft for days. the ease with which he can hold a ballerina aloft with one hand is awesome
Recent Examples on the Web
Adverb
They’re seen much more frequently in the Western United States — especially in environments characterized by strong winds aloft and rising channels of instability off the ground. Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2024 Inside the Emporio Armani showroom, models delighted in a dusting of (fake) snow, some twirling down the runway with umbrellas aloft. Colleen Barry, Quartz, 22 Feb. 2024 In a release, the company teased that the sensors have already been flown on several different aircraft and included a photo of the Iris sensor housing on some portion of an airplane aloft over a stretch of coastline. Eric Tegler, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024 The storms will see enhanced rainfall because there’s a lot of moisture aloft flowing up over Mexico and moisture moving into the region from the Gulf of Mexico, Roth said. USA TODAY, 12 Feb. 2024 The winner will be anointed football’s best team and lift the coveted Vince Lombardi Trophy aloft as the confetti rains down. Ben Morse, CNN, 10 Feb. 2024 The company’s two test launches this year of its massive Starship rocket ended in explosions aloft. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 21 Dec. 2023 Put the historical baggage onto the scales, and a Lions confetti shower in New Orleans next winter would far exceed the Chargers winning it or longtime pinatas such as the Jets, Bears, Jaguars, Cardinals and Falcons holding the trophy aloft. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Feb. 2024 The clips often capture people holding their phones aloft to film the explosion, creating yet more angles to collect. Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2024
Preposition
The Leicester fans held aloft the free commemorative scarves which were left on every seat inside the stadium and sang their late chairman’s name. San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Oct. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'aloft.' 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

Adverb

Middle English, from Old Norse ā lopt, from ā on, in + lopt air — more at on, loft

Preposition

Middle English alofte, derivative of alofte aloft entry 1

First Known Use

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

14th century, in the meaning defined above

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

Dictionary Entries Near aloft

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

aloft

adverb or adjective
ə-ˈlȯft
1
: in the air
especially : in flight
2
: at, on, or to the higher rigging of a sailing ship

More from Merriam-Webster on aloft

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