drifter

noun

drift·​er ˈdrif-tər 

: one that drifts

especially : one that travels or moves about aimlessly

Synonyms of drifter

• nomad
• wanderer
• traveler
• roamer
• wayfarer

Examples of drifter in a Sentence

He was a drifter who hitchhiked from state to state.

the drifter just packed up and moved on to the next dead-end job

Recent Examples on the Web

Arngrim, 64, has a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it (yet still unforgettable) moment in Episode 2 of the Netflix series playing Ida, a forest drifter who meets up with Laura (Alice Halsey) and her older sister Mary (Skywalker Hughes). — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 11 July 2026

Jellyfish are also passive drifters, meaning that they are often unintentionally carried towards shore by powerful ocean currents. — New Atlas, 30 June 2026

In both the series and Lee Child's novels, Jack Reacher is a drifter who moves from town to town, making Alan Ritchson's hero the show's only constant. — Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 30 June 2026

Joining the crew is Nick (MacKay), desperate to provide for his young family, and Liam (Turner), a mysterious drifter eager to escape his past. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 19 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for drifter

• lifter
• shifter
• sifter
• swifter

Kids Definition

drifter

noun

drift·​er ˈdrif-tər 

: one that drifts

especially : a person who travels about without purpose