: 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
Lee, older, is a menacing and opportunistic drifter.
—
Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 31 July 2025
After a brutal escape, Arlen drifts through a wasteland populated by scavengers, bodybuilders and misfits—including a mute drifter known only as Miami Man (Jason Momoa) and a hedonistic cult leader called The Dream (Keanu Reeves).
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
Warren Beatty plays McCabe, a drifter and fast-talker who falls in with, and falls in love with, Mrs. Miller (Julie Christie), a madam who offers to improve business at his low-rent brothel.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 18 July 2025
The arrival of a mysterious drifter shakes up the town.
—Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for drifter
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Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 31 July 2025
After a brutal escape, Arlen drifts through a wasteland populated by scavengers, bodybuilders and misfits—including a mute drifter known only as Miami Man (Jason Momoa) and a hedonistic cult leader called The Dream (Keanu Reeves).
—Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
Warren Beatty plays McCabe, a drifter and fast-talker who falls in with, and falls in love with, Mrs. Miller (Julie Christie), a madam who offers to improve business at his low-rent brothel.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 18 July 2025
The arrival of a mysterious drifter shakes up the town.
—Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for drifter
Cite this Entry
“Drifter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drifter. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
drifter
noun
drift·er
ˈdrif-tər 
: one that drifts
especially
: a person who travels about without purpose
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