1
as in flowed
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 hovered
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 wandered
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of drifted
His cholesterol had drifted upward slowly enough to avoid urgency.
—
Jeffrey Wessler, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Knicks fans get engaged during champions parade As the players passed by on floats and confetti drifted through the air along the route up Broadway2, some Knicks fans took advantage of the magical moment.
—Kelly McCarthy, ABC News, 18 June 2026
Clouds of black smoke drifted over the city.
—Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026
Roku stock drifted down 1%, following a huge runup on Friday after reports surfaced that the company had held deal talks with a then-unnamed suitor.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 15 June 2026
The herd’s lithe necks drifted above the bush in one ethereal mass, moving like a corps de ballet against a pale blue sky.
—Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 14 June 2026
Illuminated jellyfish drifted above thousands of heads.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 14 June 2026
Tens of thousands of feet below the surface, dead or dying whales have drifted to the vast graveyard, their bones commingling across an area measuring approximately 746 miles (1,200 kilometers) long.
—Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 12 June 2026
As the fire raged, embers drifted to the south and ignited several spot fires, the city said.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 11 June 2026
Jeffrey Wessler, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Knicks fans get engaged during champions parade As the players passed by on floats and confetti drifted through the air along the route up Broadway2, some Knicks fans took advantage of the magical moment.
—Kelly McCarthy, ABC News, 18 June 2026
Clouds of black smoke drifted over the city.
—Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026
Roku stock drifted down 1%, following a huge runup on Friday after reports surfaced that the company had held deal talks with a then-unnamed suitor.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 15 June 2026
The herd’s lithe necks drifted above the bush in one ethereal mass, moving like a corps de ballet against a pale blue sky.
—Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 14 June 2026
Illuminated jellyfish drifted above thousands of heads.
—Bryan West, USA Today, 14 June 2026
Tens of thousands of feet below the surface, dead or dying whales have drifted to the vast graveyard, their bones commingling across an area measuring approximately 746 miles (1,200 kilometers) long.
—Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 12 June 2026
As the fire raged, embers drifted to the south and ignited several spot fires, the city said.
—Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 11 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drifted
Verb
-
That's what happened in 2024, when well over 20,000 votes from that community flowed to Lawler.—
Chris McKenna,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
-
To that point, human history was a tale of conquest and caste and rigid hierarchies, a world where the strong dominated the weak, where power and wealth and status flowed through lineage and the many were ruled by the few.—
Hilary Gowins,
Chicago Tribune,
20 June 2026
Verb
-
By contrast, before the onset of the conflict, the prices more consistently hovered around $67 to $71 per barrel.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
21 June 2026
-
The threat of Powell hitting that threshold — 3,490 feet in elevation — has hovered above federal water managers for months as the reservoir has continued to drop to record-low levels.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
21 June 2026
Verb
-
Those who wandered alone did not.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
-
After the good Samaritan got him off the woman, witnesses say the man wandered to produce and began attacking a 16-year-old boy, but Garbe had followed him.—
Joy Benedict,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Banijay Iberia will bring its immersive experience ‘Luminiscence’ to Seville’s stunning Parish of San Jacinto, in its Triana district, home to famed flamenco dancers, bullfights and sailors who sailed to Spain’s New World in the Americas.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
22 June 2026
-
His throw sailed over second base and all the way to the backstop, allowing Steer to move to third.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
21 June 2026
Verb
-
Maybe that’s when my misconceptions about the Cape Cod Bay side of the Cape floated away.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
-
Both the council and Congress have floated some good ideas for streamlining disaster assistance, reducing administrative burdens and improving uneven recovery capabilities among states.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
Verb
-
With far less hair, Ella’s green eyes seemed greener, like those of the feral black cats that roamed their hamlet, meowing for table scraps, which were often given without hesitation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 June 2026
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Mesalands Dinosaur Museum in Tucumcari, New Mexico Part of Mesalands Community College in Tucumcari, New Mexico, the Dinosaur Museum and Natural Science Laboratory offers a look at the mighty creatures that once roamed the area during the Mesozoic era.—
Elizabeth Rhodes,
Travel + Leisure,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
Brent glided us toward the ramp.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
16 June 2026
-
For nearly 25 years, GoPro cameras have gone underwater, glided with parachutes and slipped down ski slopes, enabling the adventurous to record images of their experiences.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
His father, John, swam for the Spartans.—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
-
Finally, Dick swam past the other horses and headed for the opposite bank.—
Dolores Brown,
Outdoor Life,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drifted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drifted. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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