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
Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 2 Aug. 2025
Taylor said a one-week family trip to Italy in the spring was a nice break, but his mind kept drifting to his football future.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 30 July 2025
Sascha Brodsky, PC Magazine, 18 July 2025
Model Governance: Maintain full control of model training data, updates, bias detection and performance drift.
Cloud As The Foundation, AI As The Differentiator
Cloud platforms grant scalability and integration—essential for modern finance.
—Rahul Bhatia, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for drift
Verb
Between Peyton Manning’s retirement and the Walton-Penner group buying the team, the Broncos were a rudderless ship, drifting from coach to coach, QB1 to QB1.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 2 Aug. 2025
Taylor said a one-week family trip to Italy in the spring was a nice break, but his mind kept drifting to his football future.
—Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 30 July 2025
Noun
Cursor movement was smooth and responsive, and DPI shifts occurred instantly and without drift.
—Sascha Brodsky, PC Magazine, 18 July 2025
Model Governance: Maintain full control of model training data, updates, bias detection and performance drift.
Cloud As The Foundation, AI As The Differentiator
Cloud platforms grant scalability and integration—essential for modern finance.
—Rahul Bhatia, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for drift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drift
Verb
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Among the rest of the cast are several returnees from the 2003 film including Harmon; Rosalind Chao back as Mama P; Stephen Tobolowsky as Mr. Bates; and Chad Michael Murray, flowing hair and all, returning as Anna’s early crush, Jake.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
5 Aug. 2025
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So, for example, goods that flow to Mexico from China, where final consumer packaging is done, would be a light form of value-add.—
Steve Banker,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Three drones hovered over the facility during CNN’s visit, according to local officials.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
7 Aug. 2025
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Florida’s natural springs with year-round refreshing temperatures, hovering around 72 degrees Fahrenheit, that are sprinkled throughout the northern and central parts of the state.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Kids and adults can take part in homesteading classes, check out a show in the 30-foot planetarium dome, participate in seasonal programming, or simply wander around the properties’ six historic buildings, including a drugstore, school, church, and cabin.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
7 Aug. 2025
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There are also shots of Slurp wandering through a Christmas carnival, Tyler hiding in what appears to be a sewer before emerging back into civilization in a cloak, and Enid nervously wielding a sword.—
Selome Hailu,
Variety,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The Mets’ de facto ace, David Peterson, was on the mound.—
Jerry Beach,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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The Tigers start a 4-game series at 7:40 tonight at the Minnesota Twins, with Tarik Skubal on the mound.—
Leah Olajide,
Freep.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Google is going to lift the tide once more on artificial intelligence.—
Ewan Spence,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
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But the tides have shifted: today the Power 4 conferences — Big Ten, Southeastern Conference (SEC), Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), and Big 12 — form the economic and competitive core of major college sports.—
Jim Martin,
Denver Post,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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In that sense, the suit is different from other lawsuits that have argued that AI training alone constitutes infringement.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
7 Aug. 2025
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In that sense, how did your creative approach change going into this record versus records of the past?—
Mackenzie Cummings-Grady,
Billboard,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Wearing a green track jacket and pearls, Billie Jean King glided out from behind the bar.—
Emily Bloch,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
12 Aug. 2025
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The payment glided across Visa's network, processed through Stripe, and landed in the merchant's account.—
Roomy Khan,
Forbes.com,
9 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The city celebrated in style with players and fans floating down the river on barges.—
Vitas Carosella,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
-
The wastewater exits the home into the septic tank, where solids settle to the bottom of the tank to form a sludge layer, and the lighter waste forms a scum layer that floats at the top.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Drift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drift. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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