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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of drift
Seth Wickersham, The Atlantic, 8 Sep. 2025
Shares in both Fox and News Corp drifted down Monday after the close of trading on news of the settlement.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025
Keenan Thompson, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
The video shows the shark's dorsal fin cutting across the water before the giant fish drifts along the side of the kayak, its skin visible just below the surface.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for drift
Verb
But, as always, the talk drifts toward quarterbacks, that uniquely American job with uniquely American responsibilities.
—Seth Wickersham, The Atlantic, 8 Sep. 2025
Shares in both Fox and News Corp drifted down Monday after the close of trading on news of the settlement.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
Not every car or truck had a proper drift build in the pit.
—Keenan Thompson, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
The video shows the shark's dorsal fin cutting across the water before the giant fish drifts along the side of the kayak, its skin visible just below the surface.
—Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for drift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drift
Verb
-
An inner radiative zone (makes up 70 percent of the Sun by radius), where energy flows smoothly and the whole region spins together like a solid ball, and the outer convective zone (the remaining 30 percent), where hot gases swirl chaotically and spin at different speeds depending on location.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Sep. 2025
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Many of the most bullish bitcoin traders and investors have predicted the bitcoin price will climb at a faster rate when the Fed does begin to lower interest rates, something that encourages cash to flow more quickly through the economy.—
Billy Bambrough,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Parents who hover too closely — always ready to smooth the path, to shield from discomfort — may unintentionally rob their children of the chance to develop resilience.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
-
No more hovering at the oven door.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Her task now is simply to wander, wait and listen.—
Ari Daniel,
NPR,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Despite its common name, this creature wasn’t simply a lion that wandered into the Americas.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
These enormous mounds of debris left over from the feasts contained thousands of bones.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Sep. 2025
-
That left right-hander Connor Brogdon – fresh off the plane from Salt Lake – on the mound when the Mariners scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Levine Cava noted that her 2026 budget proposal has funds for a new animal shelter in South Miami-Dade but that sterilization efforts need to increase significantly to turn the tide on the dog population.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
8 Sep. 2025
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Although the tide is turning (subscription required), there’s still a misconception that the trades are low-paying, dead-end jobs.—
Andrew Schaap,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Bryce Young has to be better After building up an immense sense of goodwill, locally and nationally, with his second-half performance from last year, Young essentially melted away in the Jacksonville heat.—
DIAMOND VENCES,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Giving people a greater sense of agency.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Particularly when set to the Maybach-only suspension/powertrain calibration, the car just glides even over the horrible roads of Southern California.—
Mark Ewing,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
The feeling of gliding through the water, along with the sense of flow and focus, keeps her coming back to the lanes.—
Cindy Kuzma,
SELF,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
This is not a wallowing cruiser that isolates the driver in a leather cocoon, floating along, not entirely sure where the front end is.—
Mark Ewing,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Another feature that’s worth highlighting is the 129 square-foot sleeping loft that can accommodate a bed, small nightstands, floating shelves, and even a houseplant or two.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Drift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drift. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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