drifts 1 of 2

verb

Definition of driftsnext
present tense third-person singular of drift
1
as in flows
to move or proceed smoothly and readily casual conversation drifting from one topic to another

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hovers
to rest or move along the surface of a liquid or in the air the boat drifted along on the current

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in wanders
to move about from place to place aimlessly spent several years drifting from town to town, picking up odd jobs whenever he needed cash

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drifts

2 of 2

noun

plural of drift
1
as in mounds
a pile or ridge of granular matter (as sand or snow) deep drifts of snow blocked our driveway

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2
as in tides
a prevailing or general movement or inclination the steady drift of the population away from large cities

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3
as in senses
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

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Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for drifts
  1. hovers
  2. wanders
  3. tides
  4. floats
  5. banks
  6. tendencies
  7. winds
  8. intentions
Verb
  • Microchip’s stock-market value or worth on Wall Street has fallen but still hovers around $32 billion.
    Russ Wiles, The Arizona Republic, 6 Dec. 2024
  • Today, the combined population of the Indian subcontinent’s three most affected vulture species hovers around a mere 20,000.
    Scott Travers, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
Definition of hovers
Verb
  • The mind wanders but doesn’t ask too many questions.
    Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 28 Nov. 2024
  • If your mind wanders, acknowledge it, then nudge yourself to return to listening.
    Scott Mautz, Contributor, CNBC, 28 Nov. 2024
Definition of wanders
Noun
  • Although the tsunami warning has been canceled, the Marin County Sheriff’s Office advises residents to continue avoiding coastal areas due to potential rising tides.
    Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 5 Dec. 2024
  • Silence, wildlife, sunrises over the water, the gentle lapping of the tides… and $50,000 flood insurance premiums, because the tides are lapping in people’s living rooms with growing frequency.
    Michelle Weber, Longreads, 5 Dec. 2024
Definition of tides
Verb
  • The Pistons’ star floats to the corner for a wide-open three.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 8 Dec. 2024
  • The camera now floats just behind the character’s head, depicting work and home, love stories and painful reunions, fleeting observations and a reckoning with the past, as if from two points of view simultaneously—one visual and one spectral, bringing absence to life along with presence.
    Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2024
Definition of floats
Noun
  • That biopharma companies and banks would handle personal data today in the same way platforms like Meta or Snapchat might have a decade ago.
    Gregory Francis, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
  • Companies that might advocate for relaxed data regulations, such as biopharma and banks, have a strong track record of handling data responsibly.
    Gregory Francis, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Definition of banks
Noun
  • Those baserunning tendencies changed during his final season in Milwaukee.
    Justice delos Santos, The Mercury News, 8 Dec. 2024
  • Understanding these tendencies can help leaders design interactions that encourage equal participation.
    Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
Definition of tendencies
Noun
  • Around them, the Franklin fire, fueled by fierce winds, ravaged the Santa Monica Mountains and forced thousands of people to evacuate from Malibu — the famed affluent coastal enclave that boasts picturesque beaches and celebrity homeowners.
    Corina Knoll, New York Times, 11 Dec. 2024
  • Around them, the Franklin fire, fueled by fierce winds, ravaged the Santa Monica Mountains and forced thousands of people to evacuate from Malibu — the famed affluent coastal enclave that boasts picturesque beaches and celebrity homeowners.
    Corina Knoll, New York Times, 11 Dec. 2024
Definition of winds
Noun
  • Cockburn added that a tournament such as the World Cup could hold the power to bring about positive change, but only if the intentions are genuinely there to do so.
    Ben Church, CNN, 11 Dec. 2024
  • When accusations arise questioning Sara’s intentions to empower the girls, her identity is put in turmoil.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 11 Dec. 2024
Definition of intentions
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near drifts

drifting

drifts

drill

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Cite this Entry

“Drifts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drifts. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on drifts

Nglish: Translation of drifts for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of drifts for Arabic Speakers

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