head above water
- afloatSupported by water
- survivingRemaining alive or intact
- treadingWalking on a surface
- gaspingBreathing in sharp gulps
- surfaceOutermost boundary layer
swim · breathe · debt · bills · coping · barely · scraping · managing · floating · current · waves · exhausted · finances · paycheck · buoyant · submerged · rescue · gasp
financial/survival status
head above waterunderwater
Below the surface
going under · in over one's head · sinking · bankrupt · insolvent
emotional/psychological coping
head above waterdrowning
Death by water inhalation
overwhelmed · sinking · going under · falling apart · swamped