drifter

noun

drift·​er ˈdrif-tər How to pronounce drifter (audio)
: one that drifts
especially : one that travels or moves about aimlessly

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
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.
The drifter who confessed to killing an inventor and his wife was executed Tuesday night, more than three decades after the double murder in their Miami business. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025 In any case, these are Beckett’s drifters, no doubt, right down to the aching feet and bad breath. Greg Evans, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2025 Frank Dillane stars as Mike, a drifter in London sleeping on the city streets and attempting to patch together his life while caught in the throes of addiction. Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 20 Sep. 2025 The road-trip movie sees Weaving as a small-town Southern woman swept away by a drifter (Kyle Gallner) who introduces her to a life of crime. Benjamin Vanhoose, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for drifter

Word History

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of drifter was in 1897

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Drifter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drifter. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

drifter

noun
drift·​er ˈdrif-tər How to pronounce drifter (audio)
: one that drifts
especially : a person who travels about without purpose

More from Merriam-Webster on drifter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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