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
Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
In the teaser, Cliff lounges at a bar, drifts through a few film sets, and tears around a dirt track in a derby car.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 Feb. 2026
Jason Phillips, jsonline.com, 10 Feb. 2026
And while the broader new-vehicle market drifts toward uniformity, this field of contenders distinguished itself with varying degrees of design and innovation.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for drift
Verb
Stocks drifted higher on Monday following big rallies for markets in Asia earlier in the day.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
In the teaser, Cliff lounges at a bar, drifts through a few film sets, and tears around a dirt track in a derby car.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 Feb. 2026
Noun
For him, corporate cultural failures aren’t abstract, but arise when leaders neglect defining purpose, allowing drift that undermines performance.
—Jason Phillips, jsonline.com, 10 Feb. 2026
And while the broader new-vehicle market drifts toward uniformity, this field of contenders distinguished itself with varying degrees of design and innovation.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for drift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drift
Verb
-
Insulating silicone gaskets and foam silicone pads isolate the electronics and fans at the bottom from heat above; a fine steel mesh allows air to flow upwards from the fans, while preventing debris from falling into the componentry.—
Abhimanyu Ghoshal,
New Atlas,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Millions of dollars in federal funds were set to flow once again to the Hudson River Tunnel Thursday night, after a federal court order blocking the bucks expired.—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The latest tally marks an eight-week high and comes after a recent stretch where filings, which are considered a proxy for layoff activity, had hovered around two-year lows.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
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The service This is where Sofitel shines—attentive, multilingual staff who anticipate your needs without hovering.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As the structures go up, penguins and seals wander by to observe the team’s progress.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
-
An old man wandering in the dark.—
Neil Senturia,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Royals fell in love with his competitiveness on and off the mound.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Adam has been throwing off a mound since early December and, with Padres pitchers and catchers set for their first official workout of spring on Wednesday morning, is now throwing full-go bullpen sessions.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
As new arrivals tried to find their footing, a tide of homicides and drug dealing swept in.—
Michael Powell,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Anything left to mention A 4x4 transfer along a road (and beach, depending on the tide) is the usual way to get there, but the fantasy arrival would be to wade ashore after sailing along the coast on a traditional dhow.—
Megan Spurrell,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Much of the crowd has–or knows someone who has, contributed to the sense of community that permeates the space.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Feb. 2026
-
As a three-term Mecklenburg County commissioner, my daily concern is delivering common-sense solutions to our problems as efficiently as possible to keep the tax rate low.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
On Earth, skis can glide across snowy surfaces because of the way water ice behaves.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Camper helms production on the track, laying down a soulful canvas for Monét’s honeyed vocals to glide over.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As always, my rig was a Reilly's Rod Crafters 3-weight Kildare rod and a Sage reel spooled with 3-weight Rio floating line.—
Bryan Hendricks,
Arkansas Online,
15 Feb. 2026
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Proposals being floated by DFL senators and representatives include a bill to give Minnesotans more power to sue federal agents for constitutional violations, a local ban on masks for federal agents, and protections against immigration enforcement in locations like schools, hospitals and day cares.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drift. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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