1
as in to flow
to move or proceed smoothly and readily
casual conversation drifting from one topic to another
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
1
2
as in tide
a prevailing or general movement or inclination
the steady drift of the population away from large cities
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of drift
Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2025
The crash occurred when the Chevrolet Silverado pickup the man was driving west on Broadway near Sweetwater Road drifted into oncoming traffic around 8 p.m., Sgt.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 June 2025
Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 9 July 2025
Ten people died as a result of the conditions, which buried streets in snow drifts, closed schools and delayed milk delivery.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for drift
Verb
Even minor sparks or drifting embers can incite nearby foliage or grass, setting off a rapidly spreading fire.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2025
The crash occurred when the Chevrolet Silverado pickup the man was driving west on Broadway near Sweetwater Road drifted into oncoming traffic around 8 p.m., Sgt.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 June 2025
Noun
On the other hand, these rugged wildernesses, situated in the U.S., Norway, Spain, and more, really are something else: Foliage sways in the wind; pollen motes drift through the air; dappled light shimmers beneath trees.
—Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 9 July 2025
Ten people died as a result of the conditions, which buried streets in snow drifts, closed schools and delayed milk delivery.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for drift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drift
Verb
-
Both the Sai and the Kok rivers flow into the Mekong, as does the Ruak, where unsafe levels of arsenic have also been found.—
Michael Sullivan,
NPR,
12 July 2025
-
The death toll has rose to over 120 people killed since heavy rainfall overwhelmed the Guadalupe River and flowed through homes and summer camps in the early morning hours of July 4.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
12 July 2025
Verb
-
Gold has been hovering in the mid-$3,300s this week, but a change in the appetite for stocks could raise demand for the precious metal.—
Catherine Brock,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
-
Our first destination, with the hazy sun hovering over the Norway pine trees skirting Mirror Lake, was the beach bar.—
Rachel Bernhard,
jsonline.com,
15 July 2025
Verb
-
Between all that, cosplayers wander around and fans stop to buy action figures, play video games and meet their favorite artists.—
Olivia Petty,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 July 2025
-
The clinic recommends taking actions including wearing bug spray with DEET, wearing gloves when dealing with animals that could be infected, and not allowing pets to wander around outside if located in an area that is known to have plague.—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
Before the season started, the idea of Ohtani returning to the mound for the Dodgers seemed like a quaint midseason development.—
Grant Brisbee,
New York Times,
22 July 2025
-
After brushing back former Stanford teammate Kyle Stowers with his first pitch to him Sunday, Bubic induced a soft comebacker to the mound two pitches later, stranding runners on second and third to end the first inning.—
Steve Gorten,
Miami Herald,
20 July 2025
Noun
-
This may be the last, best window for pro-innovation crypto rules before a future political realignment shifts the tides.—
Jason Brett,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
-
Now that viewers have had a chance to see Hyun-ju’s two-season arc, the tide has turned around his casting.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
Such easy overlap between juror and filmmaker speaks to a wider festival goal toward building a real sense of community within the genre world.—
Ben Croll,
Variety,
14 July 2025
-
Does this album feel different from other projects after achieving that sense of liberation?—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
Employees glide swiftly through the open kitchen, sprinkling tacos with In-A-Tub’s signature orange cheese dust.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
18 July 2025
-
Even when it's packed full, the wheels glide like a dream over multiple surfaces with no wayward drifting (usually a point of failure for softsides that may lean with weight).—
Jamie Hergenrader,
Travel + Leisure,
15 July 2025
Verb
-
The knife seemed to have jumped out of the drawer and was floating towards me.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 July 2025
-
Use floating row covers over seedlings and susceptible crops such as eggplants, which can be decimated by flea beetles.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Drift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drift. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.
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