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
Doc Louallen, ABC News, 3 June 2025
Jeff hears music drifting in from other apartments, including the piano from the songwriter’s apartment and songs by Nat King Cole, Dean Martin and Leonard Bernstein.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 23 May 2025
On our question on managing configuration drift, these mechanisms enable IT teams to proactively prevent unexpected patch deviations and establish a unified set of practices for application developers and IT operations.
—Adrian Bridgwater, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for drift
Verb
Witnesses reported hearing loud cracking sounds as the mooring lines began snapping one by one, causing the ship's stern to drift away from the dock.
—Doc Louallen, ABC News, 3 June 2025
Jeff hears music drifting in from other apartments, including the piano from the songwriter’s apartment and songs by Nat King Cole, Dean Martin and Leonard Bernstein.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
Noun
If the age of eligibility for full Social Security benefits rose from 67 to, say, 70, America’s average retirement age would probably resume its upward drift, Munnell said.
—Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 23 May 2025
On our question on managing configuration drift, these mechanisms enable IT teams to proactively prevent unexpected patch deviations and establish a unified set of practices for application developers and IT operations.
—Adrian Bridgwater, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for drift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drift
Verb
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Salivary Blockages Blockages or obstructions to the salivary glands may also cause mouth dryness because saliva doesn't flow as easily to the mouth.10 7.—
Lana Barhum,
Verywell Health,
6 June 2025
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The real threat to the fiscal well-being of the median American comes from the price of energy, from which all other prices flow.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Over the years, the percentage of transactions conducted in cash has significantly dropped, with the average estimate now hovering around 20 percent.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 May 2025
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The purchase is worth around $509 million at current market prices, with Bitcoin hovering around $108,000.—
Niamh Rowe,
Quartz,
28 May 2025
Verb
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Across the street, walking to their apartments, Marta Becerra, 50, and Margarita Mota, 60, said people from the parking structure had wandered into their apartment complex, stealing bicycles and other items from people’s porches.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2025
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Any Colorado wolves that wander into Utah, New Mexico or Arizona will be retrieved and brought back to the Centennial State, under agreements state wildlife officials inked with those neighboring states.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
28 May 2025
Noun
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If all turns out well, Kirby is scheduled to be back on the mound on Sunday, June 8 against the Los Angeles Angels.—
Sean Neumann,
People.com,
4 June 2025
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The rule, adopted before the 2020 season but not implemented until this year due to the upheavals caused by the coronavirus pandemic, states that a team cannot use a position player on the mound unless there is a difference of six or more runs between the two teams.—
Houston Mitchell,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2025
Noun
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Espinosa, who only assumed leadership of the Japanese automaker in April, faces an uphill battle to change the tide of Nissan's whittled down fortunes.—
Ruxandra Iordache,Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
4 June 2025
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But now, the sight of American airplanes over Manila signaled a shift in the tide of war.—
Jeff Langholz,
Sun Sentinel,
25 May 2025
Noun
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Fears that the Wrigley video board would overwhelm the senses and make the center field scoreboard seem obsolete have mostly been allayed over the last decade.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2025
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The Personal Brand Is the Leadership Brand Demis Hassabis — cofounder and CEO of Google DeepMind — isn’t a personal brand in the conventional sense.—
Jeetendr Sehdev,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
Verb
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The lightweight, invisible formula easily glides over the skin, hydrating any skin type.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
27 May 2025
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The formula glides on sheer and leaves skin looking luminous, not greasy, thanks to its vitamin C and E infusion, which also helps nourish and condition.—
Jailynn Taylor,
Allure,
26 May 2025
Verb
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Bongino updated Fox News host Sean Hannity on the investigation into the Epstein file as conspiracies continue to float that he was murdered in prison.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
5 June 2025
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Picture walking from your room to the beach, grabbing your mask and fins, and floating over a reef in no time.—
Sandals Resorts,
AFAR Media,
4 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Drift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drift. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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