drift off
verb
drifted off; drifting off; drifts off
informal
: to fall asleep
She drifted off while I was still talking.
He gradually drifted off to sleep.
Examples of drift off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The device will completely block the ear canal and cause a low buzzing noise that makes drifting off hard.
—
Liana Handler
follow, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
Rue lies down on the couch and gives the bottle of painkillers a lingering look before listening to the audiobook version of the Bible and drifting off.
—Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026
Veering from Linkin Park–esque melodics to guttural screams, the first semi-final closer will certainly wake up anyone who’s drifted off.
—Jon O'Brien, Vulture, 11 May 2026
Guests instinctively understand where to sit, where to eat and where to drift off when the conversation winds down.
—Kansas City Star, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for drift off
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Liana Handler
follow, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
Rue lies down on the couch and gives the bottle of painkillers a lingering look before listening to the audiobook version of the Bible and drifting off.
—Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026
Veering from Linkin Park–esque melodics to guttural screams, the first semi-final closer will certainly wake up anyone who’s drifted off.
—Jon O'Brien, Vulture, 11 May 2026
Guests instinctively understand where to sit, where to eat and where to drift off when the conversation winds down.
—Kansas City Star, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for drift off
Cite this Entry
“Drift off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drift%20off. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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