to remain afloat

5.3

To have enough money to keep going and avoid failure

phrasal verb

: mantenerse a flote

And thousands of factories, collective farms, and state farms remain afloat on government grants and subsidies, draining the country of its lifeblood.

Examples

And thousands of factories, collective farms, and state farms remain afloat on government grants and subsidies, draining the country of its lifeblood.
Iran's economy is likely to remain afloat, buoyed by oil money.

Academic text (2004)
Many workers lost their jobs this week, especially in the airline, hospitality, restaurant, and tourism industries, as companies struggle to remain afloat.
Iran's economy is likely to remain afloat, buoyed by oil money.

Synonyms

to stay afloat

vsto remain afloat

Informal

16 4.1

Keep operating when money is low

is about having enough money specifically to avoid financial failure

to keep head above water

vsto remain afloat

Informal

8 4.7

To avoid serious money problems during hard times

is specifically about having enough funds to continue business operations

to keep afloat

vsto remain afloat

1 4.1

Manage to avoid money problems and pay bills

is about having enough money to continue regular operations

to stay above water

vsto remain afloat

Informal

1 5.1

To keep enough money to pay bills and not owe money

focuses on maintaining funds to operate rather than general coping

to keep above water

vsto remain afloat

4.9

To manage to survive when you have money problems

is about ensuring continued funding to avoid operational or financial failure

Antonyms

to collapse

579 3.9

To fall down suddenly, for example when a person faints or a building breaks

to go bankrupt

73 3.5

To be unable to pay debts

How Solvent

to prosper

88 3.7

to turn a profit

19 3.2

solvent

15 5.5

to remain afloat

5.3

to go bankrupt

73 3.5

Surface Forms

remain afloat infinitive

remained afloat past

remained afloat past participle

remaining afloat present participle

remains afloat third person singular

Morphology

remain + afloat

The phrase literally combines 'remain' (stay) with 'afloat' (floating), so its meaning 'stay financially solvent' is a metaphorical extension of the literal image of not sinking. Because understanding the financial sense requires recognizing that 'afloat' can be used figuratively (a common cross-linguistic metaphor) it is only partially predictable from the parts for a B1 learner.

Etymology

Remain afloat comes from boats. To remain afloat is to keep a boat on the water so it does not sink, and that image became a way to say 'to continue to have enough money' when a person or business avoids financial failure.