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
The staircase to the second floor had a stair lift, and into my head drifted an image of an elderly widow, slowly ascending to her bedroom after eating alone, her kitchen overflowing with porcelain and crystal reminders of dinner parties long ago.
—
Literary Hub, 6 May 2026
Key creative decisions have drifted.
—George Heller, HollywoodReporter, 6 May 2026
Turner had drifted from the Christianity of his youth after watching his sister Mary Jean suffer and die at 17.
—Ashley Lutz, Fortune, 6 May 2026
Setting’s live releases and studio debut, 2021’s Shone A Rainbow Light On, drifted through ambient cloud-shapes before almost imperceptibly taking flight.
—Jesse Jarnow, Pitchfork, 4 May 2026
Nothing was precious or roped off, and the grand living room, which opened through enormous glass doors onto the garden and pool, became the place both families naturally drifted to every evening.
—Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 May 2026
The choice says a lot about where the market is, since collectors have drifted back to artists with long track records and deep institutional support.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 2 May 2026
His ability to read the game was certainly evident, especially as the contest drifted on, with players saddled with tired legs and minds.
—Rob Tanner, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Their most familiar neighbor was the occasional manatee that drifted by their home.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
Literary Hub, 6 May 2026
Key creative decisions have drifted.
—George Heller, HollywoodReporter, 6 May 2026
Turner had drifted from the Christianity of his youth after watching his sister Mary Jean suffer and die at 17.
—Ashley Lutz, Fortune, 6 May 2026
Setting’s live releases and studio debut, 2021’s Shone A Rainbow Light On, drifted through ambient cloud-shapes before almost imperceptibly taking flight.
—Jesse Jarnow, Pitchfork, 4 May 2026
Nothing was precious or roped off, and the grand living room, which opened through enormous glass doors onto the garden and pool, became the place both families naturally drifted to every evening.
—Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 May 2026
The choice says a lot about where the market is, since collectors have drifted back to artists with long track records and deep institutional support.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 2 May 2026
His ability to read the game was certainly evident, especially as the contest drifted on, with players saddled with tired legs and minds.
—Rob Tanner, New York Times, 1 May 2026
Their most familiar neighbor was the occasional manatee that drifted by their home.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drifted
Verb
-
The United States could create safe-looking assets foreign investors wanted, but its financial system did not always allocate the incoming capital productively; too much flowed into housing, leverage, and complex securities whose risks were badly mispriced.—
James Broughel,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
-
This song came straight from the heart; everything flowed during its production.—
Julyssa Lopez,
Rolling Stone,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Global crude prices hovered between $60 and $70 for most of 2025.—
Camila Domonoske,
NPR,
7 May 2026
-
Overcast skies hovered over Atlanta during the midafternoon as the metro area braced for severe weather.—
Vanessa McCray,
AJC.com,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
The back parking lot, once a nasty no man’s land where drunken customers wandered off to urinate, has recently been transformed into a performance space that has hosted small gigs including Duane Betts.—
Jimmy Jellinek,
SPIN,
27 Apr. 2026
-
But, as Chen and Shrivastava wandered a Texas restaurant conference, a Dallas heating and air company called Rescue Air found them.—
Allie Garfinkle,
Fortune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
By then, 34 other passengers had departed the vessel, which first sailed from the South American country of Argentina in March, with stops in the Antarctic and other locations before heading to waters off Cape Verde near the coast of West Africa.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
-
The ship then sailed for the port of Praia in Cape Verde, but was denied permission to dock.—
Mary Whitfill Roeloffs,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Arches of black and yellow balloons floated over tables set with meals in plastic boxes.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
-
While past presidents and lawmakers have occasionally floated gas tax holidays, a suspension of the tax has never passed in Congress.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
By the time Turner purchased his first bison in 1976, the species was in better shape, but populations were still far below their peak, when tens of millions once roamed the Great Plains.—
Drew Kann,
AJC.com,
7 May 2026
-
The beloved broadcaster – who turns 100 this week – has been making thrilling and informative shows about the wonders of our planet for decades, spanning everything from the reptiles that roamed the Earth 66 million years ago to the wildlife battling for survival in sub-zero polar regions.—
Irenie Forshaw,
TheWeek,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
The white objects sometimes streaked across the screen in less than a second, while others slowly glided through the air or were followed by the camera.—
Seung Min Kim,
Fortune,
9 May 2026
-
The white objects sometimes streaked across the screen in less than a second, while others slowly glided through the air or were followed by the camera.—
Seung Min Kim,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Crisp swam up to over a dozen people in the wave pool that day and placed his hands on their buttocks, according to Ada County Deputy Prosecutor Brittany Ford, who was referring to surveillance footage reviewed by law enforcement.—
Alex Brizee,
Idaho Statesman,
7 May 2026
-
Jerry swam strongly for three or four minutes, then rolled over on his back and floated.—
Jim Hoagland,
Outdoor Life,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drifted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drifted. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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