drift off
phrasal 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
For many leaders, what begins as a harmless shortcut slowly becomes the new normal, and almost without realizing it, their inner compass drifts off course.
—
Cara Heilmann, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
The two disturbances that never fully materialized appeared between July 12 and July 23 and drifted off to the west, causing rain across North Florida and along the Gulf Coast into Louisiana.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025
For a blissful wind-down in your suite, luxuriate in the Roman-style mosaics and Italian marble bathroom before drifting off to sleep.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 16 July 2025
The moisture sparking all that rain is attached to a low-pressure system drifting off the northeast coast of Florida this weekend.
—Miami Herald, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for drift off
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.
Cara Heilmann, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
The two disturbances that never fully materialized appeared between July 12 and July 23 and drifted off to the west, causing rain across North Florida and along the Gulf Coast into Louisiana.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025
For a blissful wind-down in your suite, luxuriate in the Roman-style mosaics and Italian marble bathroom before drifting off to sleep.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 16 July 2025
The moisture sparking all that rain is attached to a low-pressure system drifting off the northeast coast of Florida this weekend.
—Miami Herald, 14 July 2025
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 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share