above water
Financially staying afloat
Above water describes staying solvent or keeping up with obligations, especially financial ones.
Someone struggling with debt tries to keep their head above water—the metaphor suggests drowning in bills or responsibilities.
Between two jobs, we're barely staying above water.
The phrase implies survival rather than prosperity.
Able to float
- buoyancyFluid's upward resistance
- bobbingRhythmic vertical movement
- driftingMoving without purpose
- treadingWalking on a surface
swimming · surfacing · afloat · pontoon · raft · inflatable · lifebuoy · lifejacket
Dissolving liquid or financially stable
- viableCapable of succeeding
- afloatSupported by water
- stableSecure and unchanging
- managingDirecting or controlling something
coping · resilient · enduring · sustainable · recovering · breaking even · making ends meet · in the black
buoyant
Able to float
treading · swimming · surfacing · afloat · pontoon · raft · inflatable · lifebuoy · lifejacket · snorkel
solvent
Dissolving liquid or financially stable
managing · coping · resilient · enduring · sustainable · recovering · breaking even · making ends meet · in the black · debt-free
deck
Ship's flat surface
mast · rigging · freeboard · gunwale · porthole · anchor · mooring · sailboat · yacht · kayak
above waterunderwater
Below the surface
submerged · beneath the surface · under the surface · sunken · immersed
above waterunderwater
Below the surface
drowning · sinking · in over one's head · going under · in the red
water, above, watery, watered, watering, aquarium, aquatic, watershed, waterless