drift 1 of 2

verb

Definition of driftnext
1
as in to flow
to move or proceed smoothly and readily casual conversation drifting from one topic to another

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to hover
to rest or move along the surface of a liquid or in the air the boat drifted along on the current

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to wander
to move about from place to place aimlessly spent several years drifting from town to town, picking up odd jobs whenever he needed cash

Synonyms & Similar Words

drift

2 of 2

noun

ˈdrift How to pronounce drift (audio)
1
as in mound
a pile or ridge of granular matter (as sand or snow) deep drifts of snow blocked our driveway

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2
as in tide
a prevailing or general movement or inclination the steady drift of the population away from large cities

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3
as in sense
the idea that is conveyed or intended to be conveyed to the mind by language, symbol, or action you should expect a visit from the stork, if you get my drift

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word drift different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of drift are current, tendency, tenor, and trend. While all these words mean "movement in a particular direction," drift may apply to a tendency determined by external forces, or it may apply to an underlying or obscure trend of meaning or discourse.

the drift of the population away from large cities
got the drift of her argument

When could current be used to replace drift?

The words current and drift can be used in similar contexts, but current implies a clearly defined but not necessarily unalterable course.

an encounter that changed the current of my life

When would tendency be a good substitute for drift?

The words tendency and drift are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, tendency implies an inclination sometimes amounting to an impelling force.

a general tendency toward inflation

Where would tenor be a reasonable alternative to drift?

Although the words tenor and drift have much in common, tenor stresses a clearly perceptible direction and a continuous, undeviating course.

the tenor of the times

When can trend be used instead of drift?

The synonyms trend and drift are sometimes interchangeable, but trend applies to the general direction maintained by a winding or irregular course.

the long-term trend of the stock market is upward

How is the word drift different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of drift are current, tendency, tenor, and trend. While all these words mean "movement in a particular direction," drift may apply to a tendency determined by external forces, or it may apply to an underlying or obscure trend of meaning or discourse.

the drift of the population away from large cities
got the drift of her argument

When could current be used to replace drift?

The words current and drift can be used in similar contexts, but current implies a clearly defined but not necessarily unalterable course.

an encounter that changed the current of my life

When would tendency be a good substitute for drift?

The words tendency and drift are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, tendency implies an inclination sometimes amounting to an impelling force.

a general tendency toward inflation

Where would tenor be a reasonable alternative to drift?

Although the words tenor and drift have much in common, tenor stresses a clearly perceptible direction and a continuous, undeviating course.

the tenor of the times

When can trend be used instead of drift?

The synonyms trend and drift are sometimes interchangeable, but trend applies to the general direction maintained by a winding or irregular course.

the long-term trend of the stock market is upward

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of drift
Verb
The crowd skews stylish and occasion-driven, sometimes including wedding guests drifting into the lobby from the grand ballroom. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Mar. 2026 The spirit of protest here is contextual rather than explicit, evoking an exhaustion similar to the darkness Bruce Springsteen captured in Nebraska as Vietnam drifted into the Reagan era. —Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 2 Mar. 2026
Noun
The first-of-its-kind drift coaster coming to Universal Studios Hollywood will feature 360-degree rotating coaster vehicles designed to look like drifting race cars from the street racing film franchise that has earned $7 billion at the worldwide box office. —Brady MacDonald, Oc Register, 4 Mar. 2026 After the high-wind drama of Perth and Auckland to open the season, this was a return to the slow drift of last season’s final in Abu Dhabi. —Andrew Rice, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for drift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drift
  1. flow
  2. hover
  3. wander
  4. mound
  5. tide
  6. sense
  7. glide
  8. float
Verb
  • In experiments, heaters made from these fibers delivered significantly higher heating power per unit mass than traditional metal-alloy elements when exposed to flowing gases.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Sweeney admitted that watching teams around him in the standings making moves – the Islanders landed Schenn, the Blue Jackets got Garland and Detroit acquired Faulk – got the competitive juices flowing.
    — Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 6 Mar. 2026
Definition of flow
Verb
  • Alcohol spending as a share of household budgets is also hovering at near 40-year lows, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that was cited in the report.
    — Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 5 Mar. 2026
  • The 54-year-old comedian with a beard full of gray stubble drops back to pass, launching a tight spiral underneath SoFi’s massive technicolor halo scoreboard hovering above a sea of empty stands.
    — Deputy Entertainment, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Definition of hover
Verb
  • Locals consistently rave about FIG and Leon’s Oyster Shop, though wandering around aimlessly—especially on the city’s lively King Street—is part of the fun, too.
    — Annie Daly, Vogue, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Memories of the late David Crosby calmly wandering about, checking the performances going on while waiting to play his set, or watching Cuban singer and guitarist Eliades Ochoa, of Buena Vista Social Club fame, enjoying a quiet moment with his family and having an ice cream, come to mind.
    — Fernando Gonzalez, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
Definition of wander
Noun
  • From there, Partida grounded out to second and Chestnut popped up to the third baseman in front of the mound.
    — Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Plants develop as a gently spreading mound that looks lovely trailing over rocky ledges and stone walls or spilling from containers.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2026
Definition of mound
Noun
  • The discrepancies tended to be largest in lower-income regions, including parts of Africa, Southeast Asia and the Pacific, where there are typically fewer local tide gauges and direct ocean measurements; these places are more reliant on models that perform poorly there.
    — Marcos Magaña, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2026
  • Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni sent his army to intervene in South Sudan’s 2013-2018 civil war on multiple occasions on behalf of Kiir’s forces, helping to turn the tide in his favor.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
Definition of tide
Noun
  • The small, walkable village of Tubac is the ideal destination for a day trip or weekend getaway, one with dozens of unique galleries that embrace a sense of place in the Sonoran Desert.
    — Molly Allen, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026
  • But there was something profound about the sense of connection and engagement that all kinds of writing gave him.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2026
Definition of sense
Verb
  • The texture is thick and whipped, easy to glide on post-shower, and will help keep skin moisturized for hours.
    — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Progression of wing and tail configurations Published in Journal of the Royal Society Interface, the study analyzed the progression of wing and tail configurations of a free-gliding Harris’s hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus) during a wing-tucking manoeuvre.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 5 Mar. 2026
Definition of glide
Verb
  • The 80-foot-long grinning behemoth floating in a roadside pond was built as an anniversary gift for the owner’s whale-loving wife.
    — Zoey Goto, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026
  • The procession featured drums, dancing and floats celebrating the vibrancy of the Chinese American community in the oldest celebration of its kind outside Asia and one of the largest.
    — Jane Tyska, Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2026
Definition of float

Browse Nearby Words

dries up
drift
drifted
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Drift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drift. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on drift

Nglish: Translation of drift for Spanish Speakers

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