1
as in flowed
to move or proceed smoothly and readily
casual conversation drifting from one topic to another
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
The Haycrafts had drifted apart around this time, after one of their sons died in an accident, and Anna became vehemently religious.
—
Christopher Tayler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
But, after, many of the groups created to put it on fell into factional infighting or drifted apart.
—Charles Duhigg, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
The stock market drifted through mixed trading Friday, as a zigzag week punctuated by loud threats and pullbacks finished with a quiet and tentative close.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
The sun won’t rise before seven thirty, Camilla thought, as her gaze drifted bitterly over the nearby rooftops and domed churches in the distance.
—Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
This year’s willingness to set aside core principles to accommodate political spectacle underscores how much the event has drifted from its founding spirit.
—Robert B. Tucker, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Despite the generally strong financial performance, and a rosy forecast for the first quarter, Netflix shares drifted down 4% in after-hours trading.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 20 Jan. 2026
The centerman drifted to the left side and connected with the rushing McAvoy, who snapped his third of the year past Soderblom.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 18 Jan. 2026
If antimatter ignored the weak equivalence principle, the atoms might have drifted upward, repelled by Earth.
—Paul Sutter, Space.com, 18 Jan. 2026
Christopher Tayler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
But, after, many of the groups created to put it on fell into factional infighting or drifted apart.
—Charles Duhigg, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
The stock market drifted through mixed trading Friday, as a zigzag week punctuated by loud threats and pullbacks finished with a quiet and tentative close.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
The sun won’t rise before seven thirty, Camilla thought, as her gaze drifted bitterly over the nearby rooftops and domed churches in the distance.
—Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
This year’s willingness to set aside core principles to accommodate political spectacle underscores how much the event has drifted from its founding spirit.
—Robert B. Tucker, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Despite the generally strong financial performance, and a rosy forecast for the first quarter, Netflix shares drifted down 4% in after-hours trading.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 20 Jan. 2026
The centerman drifted to the left side and connected with the rushing McAvoy, who snapped his third of the year past Soderblom.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 18 Jan. 2026
If antimatter ignored the weak equivalence principle, the atoms might have drifted upward, repelled by Earth.
—Paul Sutter, Space.com, 18 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drifted
Verb
-
Expect some of the money that once flowed to VR headsets to redirect to AI wearables.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The look featured a strapless, boned corset that flowed seamlessly into a floor-sweeping silhouette.—
Mecca Pryor,
Essence,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Crude oil prices have hovered around $60 a barrel in recent days.—
Melissa Quinn,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
At its peak in 2000, GE’s market cap hovered around $600 billion, more than $1 trillion in today’s dollars.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Jacob Roggeveen, a lawyer turned explorer, had wandered about the Pacific with three ships and found nothing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Those who perished include 90-year-old Doreen Ellis, a Crown Heights resident with dementia who wandered out of her apartment into the frigid air Sunday night.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Yesterday’s trial marked the sixth time the submarine sailed out for acceptance testing.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Swain’s pass sailed long, but Weaver somehow corralled it and called a timeout before stepping out of bounds.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Taylor floated through the crowds at the show thanks to a sky-high pair of platform ankle-strap pumps made from lustrous black satin.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
26 Jan. 2026
-
The Russian president has floated using Russian assets frozen in the United States to pay the $1 billion fee for a permanent seat.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
With their home campus inaccessible, students roamed to various athletic facilities throughout town for practice and games.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
-
On a recent afternoon, the pair of mutes roamed the tiered backyard.—
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But on this day, Miller glided through the BRAKES slalom course smoothly, with her phone out of reach and Earnhardt in the front seat.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Lions sophomore guard Brady Sullivan sprinted to the ball, grabbed possession and glided to a wide-open layup.—
Dan Rios,
Daily News,
17 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Just two weeks ago, a coyote apparently swam across the bay to Alcatraz Island.—
Alexei Oreskovic,
Fortune,
28 Jan. 2026
-
The pool was installed during the Administration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who swam to maintain his strength after his paralysis.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drifted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drifted. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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