as in nomad
a person who roams about without a fixed route or destination
the drifter just packed up and moved on to the next dead-end job
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of drifter
What could go wrong when married couple Timothy and Sloane try to help drifter Old Blindy (Tony Larkin)?
—
Jim Farmer, AJC.com, 6 Feb. 2026
The scene inspired future comedy gags showing drifters and tramps losing their pants to dogs chasing them.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 29 Jan. 2026
Namir Smallwood stars opposite Coon as Peter, a paranoid former soldier and mysterious drifter who meets her character Agnes, a lonely waitress.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
That’s our friend behind the counter, a drifter with an alcoholic mother, who’s a big character in the local scene.
—Francesco Pacifico, The Dial, 9 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for drifter
Jim Farmer, AJC.com, 6 Feb. 2026
The scene inspired future comedy gags showing drifters and tramps losing their pants to dogs chasing them.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 29 Jan. 2026
Namir Smallwood stars opposite Coon as Peter, a paranoid former soldier and mysterious drifter who meets her character Agnes, a lonely waitress.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
That’s our friend behind the counter, a drifter with an alcoholic mother, who’s a big character in the local scene.
—Francesco Pacifico, The Dial, 9 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for drifter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drifter
Noun
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The rooms Eschewing the predictable Greek island white-on-white aesthetic, the look is more global nomad than Cycladic purist.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
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Jargalsaikhan Bayarkhand's winning entry from Mongolia is a striking portrait of a Kazakh nomad in traditional attire and the country's sparse landscape framing him.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Voice like a warm porchlight left on for wanderers who kissed goodbye too soon or stayed too long.—
Alex Suskind,
Pitchfork,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Unlike most comets, which originate in the Kuiper Belt or the Oort Cloud, this icy wanderer formed around another star before drifting into our cosmic neighborhood.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The Buccaneer is a traveler's favorite on Saint Croix.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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The viral post comes as survey data suggests many travelers are generally open to seat-switch requests when they are made considerately.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Animals that are kennel-trained will likely be pleased to be in their cozy confines and away from the bustle of vacuums, mops, and the like, but for those who are roamers, consider gating off an area for them.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Add in accessories like a matching leather clutch, boots, and wayfarer sunglasses to be styled to perfection.—
Ariel Bielsky,
InStyle,
1 Jan. 2026
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Our favorite budget sunnies for all outdoor activities, the Goodr OG is a wayfarer-style frame with lenses that cannot be beat for the price.—
Will Porter,
Outside,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Drifter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drifter. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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