Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

drift

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of drift

1 a pile or ridge of granular matter (as sand or snow)
  • deep drifts of snow blocked our driveway
Synonyms of drift

bank, bar, mound
Words Related to drift

snowbank, snowdrift

embankment, sandbar

heap, hill, mass, mountain, stack, tuft
2 a prevailing or general movement or inclination
  • the steady drift of the population away from large cities
Synonyms of drift

current, direction, leaning, run, tendency, tide, trend, wind
Words Related to drift

curve, downside, shift, swing, turn, turnabout, upside

custom, habit, propensity, tenor, way

countercurrent, countertrend

undercurrent, undertow
3 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 of drift

content, denotation, import, intent, intention, meaning, purport, sense, significance, signification
Words Related to drift

connotation

clue, cue, hint, implication, indication, inkling, intimation, suggestion

message, tenor, theme

bottom, essence, essentiality, nature, soul, spirit, stuff

acceptance, acceptation, definition

burden, crux, gist

core, heart, kernel, marrow, nub, nucleus, pith, point, quick

matter, motif, motive, question, subject, topic

Synonym Discussion of drift

tendency, trend, drift, tenor, current mean movement in a particular direction. tendency implies an inclination sometimes amounting to an impelling force.
    • a general tendency toward inflation
trend applies to the general direction maintained by a winding or irregular course.
    • the long-term trend of the stock market is upward
drift may apply to a tendency determined by external forces
    • the drift of the population away from large cities
or it may apply to an underlying or obscure trend of meaning or discourse.
    • got the drift of her argument
tenor stresses a clearly perceptible direction and a continuous, undeviating course.
    • the tenor of the times
current implies a clearly defined but not necessarily unalterable course.
    • an encounter that changed the current of my life

drift

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of drift

1 to move or proceed smoothly and readily
  • casual conversation drifting from one topic to another
Synonyms of drift

bowl, breeze, brush, coast, cruise, flow, glide, roll, sail, skim, slide, slip, stream, sweep, whisk
Words Related to drift

fly, race, rush, speed
Near Antonyms of drift

limp, lumber, plod, stumble, trudge

shamble, shuffle

stamp, stomp, stump, tramp

labor, toil
Antonyms of drift

flounder, struggle
2 to rest or move along the surface of a liquid or in the air
  • the boat drifted along on the current
Synonyms of drift

float, glide, hang, hover, poise, ride, sail, swim, waft
Words Related to drift

bob, dangle, suspend

buoy

balloon, raft
Near Antonyms of drift

dive, lunge, plunge

dip, immerse, submerge, submerse
Antonyms of drift

settle, sink
3 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 of drift

bat, cruise, float, gad (about), gallivant (also galavant), kick around, knock (about), maunder, meander, mooch, ramble, range, roam, rove, traipse, wander
Words Related to drift

amble, saunter, stroll

dawdle, mope

gypsy, hobo, tramp, vagabond

mill (about or around)

straggle, stray

Learn More about drift

  1. See words that rhyme with drift Dictionary: Definition of drift Medical Dictionary: Definition of drift Spanish Central: Translation of drift Nglish: Translation of drift for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of drift for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up drift? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

bower

Listen to the pronounciation of bower

a shady place in a garden or forest

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. exonerate Barr summarizes Mueller report

  2. catamount Vermont enters the Round of 64

  3. mendacious, mendacity George Conway calls Trump a liar

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games