1
as in flowed
to move or proceed smoothly and readily
casual conversation drifting from one topic to another
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hovered
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 wandered
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of drifted
After an earnings beat and a blistering 32% pop on July 30, the stock drifted lower for a month — a normal profit-taking after a vertical move.
—
Nishant Pant, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
The Baileys had drifted almost 1,500 miles, into the dead of summer, when they were rescued by a South Korean fishing boat on June 30, 1973.
—Susan Young, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2025
This week's total lunar eclipse graced the night sky as Earth drifted between the moon and sun, veiling the lunar disk in its umbral silhouette.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Shares in both Fox and News Corp drifted down Monday after the close of trading on news of the settlement.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025
This inspired us to revisit the data, not to suggest the issues had been solved, but to understand how the conversation had shifted and where attention had drifted.
—AFAR Media, 8 Sep. 2025
Across Australia, Asia, Africa and Europe — not in North America — the full corn moon drifted into Earth’s dark central shadow, turning a spectacular reddish-orange color for 82 minutes.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Our mutual social contacts have drifted away.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025
The small vessel drifted away into the current of the Thames.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Nishant Pant, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2025
The Baileys had drifted almost 1,500 miles, into the dead of summer, when they were rescued by a South Korean fishing boat on June 30, 1973.
—Susan Young, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2025
This week's total lunar eclipse graced the night sky as Earth drifted between the moon and sun, veiling the lunar disk in its umbral silhouette.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Shares in both Fox and News Corp drifted down Monday after the close of trading on news of the settlement.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025
This inspired us to revisit the data, not to suggest the issues had been solved, but to understand how the conversation had shifted and where attention had drifted.
—AFAR Media, 8 Sep. 2025
Across Australia, Asia, Africa and Europe — not in North America — the full corn moon drifted into Earth’s dark central shadow, turning a spectacular reddish-orange color for 82 minutes.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Our mutual social contacts have drifted away.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025
The small vessel drifted away into the current of the Thames.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drifted
Verb
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Once that issue was sorted out, my bladder finally relaxed — and the urine flowed just fine.—
Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt,
CNN Money,
15 Sep. 2025
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At its core was Vitinha, his elegant playmaking at the base of midfield the classy conduit through which their intricate moves flowed.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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A couple of lanky students from the Tandon School of Engineering hovered by the shelf, considering a box of disco balls up top.—
Ben McGrath,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
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As for most of the tournament, Sinner’s first-serve percentage hovered around 50, and Auger-Aliassime took the initiative with flashing forehands and the bravery to go after his shots in baseline rallies.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In Jacksonville, Florida, a 5-year-old wandered away from home in the early morning hours.—
Ronnie Li,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Despite its common name, this creature wasn’t simply a lion that wandered into the Americas.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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After leaving Tokyo, the aircraft carrier sailed north and was spotted transiting the Tsugaru Strait on Friday from the Pacific Ocean toward the Sea of Japan.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Sep. 2025
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The game took an ugly turn for the Angels in the sixth, when reliever Brock Burke sailed a throw six feet over first baseman Oswald Peraza’s head on Thomas’s inning-opening comebacker, an error that led to an unearned run and a 9-1 A’s lead.—
Mike Digiovanna,
Oc Register,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That’s an enormous lever—but far smaller than the 10–40 trillion-tonne estimates that have floated around for years.—
Phil De Luna,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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Purdy scrambled to his right and floated a ball toward backup tight end Jake Tonges in the back of the end zone.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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An active tropical storm or hurricane has roamed somewhere in the Atlantic on that date in roughly three-fourths of the 76 years tracked by NOAA.—
Chris Dolce,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
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High atop the Luossavaara Mountain in northern Sweden, Sami reindeer herder Lars-Marcus Kuhmunen mapped out a bleak future for himself and other Indigenous people whose reindeer have roamed this land for thousands of years.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The bird glided through the air, skimming the water for prey.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
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With a garland of white flowers in front of him, a lone rower kneeling in a wooden canoe glided toward the DuSable Bridge docks.—
William Tong,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Not wanting to run immediately after the season, Jenkins instead swam to get in his cardio work.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
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The Herald also found a pile of wet clothes, two children’s backpacks and food at the end of a street in Tavernier where the ocean meets the shore, suggesting the group swam to land and changed into dry clothing.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Drifted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drifted. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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