1
as in to flow
to move or proceed smoothly and readily
casual conversation drifting from one topic to another
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to hover
to rest or move along the surface of a liquid or in the air
the boat drifted along on the current
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to wander
to move about from place to place aimlessly
spent several years drifting from town to town, picking up odd jobs whenever he needed cash
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
2
as in tide
a prevailing or general movement or inclination
the steady drift of the population away from large cities
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in sense
the idea that is conveyed or intended to be conveyed to the mind by language, symbol, or action
you should expect a visit from the stork, if you get my drift
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of drift
Esha Mitra, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2025
The big picture: Retail prices, which typically trail wholesale, are beginning to drift downward as well.
—Axios, 28 Mar. 2025
David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025
Netflix famously tried to catch the drift of the digital age with its Break Point series, made by the same team that produced the thriving Drive to Survive.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for drift
Verb
Join 50 others in the comments View Comments Two years later, members of the tribe killed two poachers who had been illegally fishing in the waters surrounding North Sentinel Island after their boat drifted ashore, according to Survival International.
—Esha Mitra, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2025
The big picture: Retail prices, which typically trail wholesale, are beginning to drift downward as well.
—Axios, 28 Mar. 2025
Noun
While some blame their defeats on the party's leftward drift on social issues, others say the party strayed from its more populist positions on economic policies, sparking voter backlash.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025
Netflix famously tried to catch the drift of the digital age with its Break Point series, made by the same team that produced the thriving Drive to Survive.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for drift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drift
Verb
-
Cook until the edges are set, occasionally lifting the edges with a rubber spatula to allow liquid egg to flow underneath, 15 minutes.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Apr. 2025
-
These are grown men with a never-die mindset flowing through their veins.—
The Athletic College Basketball Staff,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Her chances of winning have hovered around the 80 percent mark since March 17.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2025
-
Trillion-dollar deficits are no longer shocking, and interest expense alone is hovering around record levels.—
Dave Birnbaum,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The vehicle wandered across the road far more than any already ill-handling Defender should, its brakes were weak, and gear shifts were accompanied by a prominent clunk.—
Basem Wasef,
Robb Report,
1 Apr. 2025
-
The banal village tunes that Mahler altered into sinister mock vulgarities—did these not recall the raffish klezmer bands, the wandering musicians who played at shtetl weddings?—
David Denby,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be on the mound for Los Angeles, with Jesus Luzardo on the hill for Philadelphia.—
Newsweek Staff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Apr. 2025
-
Baseball Stef Alexander hit an RBI single and earned the win on the mound, while Jansen Thomas went 2-for-3 and got the save as Cambridge (1-0) defeated Haverhill 6-4 in a nonleague contest.—
Kristina Banahan,
Boston Herald,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
There are a few things that we Southerners will never abandon, no matter which way the trending tide flows.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
3 Apr. 2025
-
These pilots possess expert knowledge of the specific port’s geography, tides, currents, weather patterns, traffic, and navigational hazards.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
His sharp sense of storytelling and visionary approach to content has consistently set him apart as a true leader.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
10 Apr. 2025
-
That has always been part of the Trumpist package of maybe not ideas in the sense of grand philosophies but certainly cultural ideas.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The gathering crowd was particularly entranced with the weighty, sculptural zipper pulls, which seemed to glide so much better than your standard-issue hardware.—
Naomi Rougeau,
Robb Report,
30 Mar. 2025
-
Shiffrin glided through the course at Sun Valley with a large crowd cheering her through every gate.—
Pat Graham,
Denver Post,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Its pollen is made of tiny particles that float through the air.17 Fall allergy season lasts from August through November, peaking in September and October.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Health,
6 Apr. 2025
-
Ideas such as bypassing stops on the Red Line near Streeterville, establishing a curfew on the CTA or holding parents legally responsible for their children’s actions at the gatherings have also floated around.—
Jake Sheridan,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Drift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drift. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share