as in nomad
a person who roams about without a fixed route or destination
the drifter just packed up and moved on to the next dead-end job
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of drifter
Everything changes when a down-on-his-luck drifter named Cameron (Lewis Pullman) arrives in town.
—
Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 8 May 2026
Detectives learned Lugo was the leader of a group made up of drifters and petty thieves who hung out at the Sun Gym.
—Troy Roberts, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
The men and women under his employ were a rag-tag gang of dreamers and drifters, brought together by a love for adventure, a disdain for the society that had thrown their friends away in Vietnam, and a desire to spread the gospel of ganja.
—Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, 17 Mar. 2026
Poitier stars as Homer Smith, a drifter who turns up in a small Arizona town and helps a group of nuns construct a chapel for the local community.
—Devan Coggan, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for drifter
Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 8 May 2026
Detectives learned Lugo was the leader of a group made up of drifters and petty thieves who hung out at the Sun Gym.
—Troy Roberts, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
The men and women under his employ were a rag-tag gang of dreamers and drifters, brought together by a love for adventure, a disdain for the society that had thrown their friends away in Vietnam, and a desire to spread the gospel of ganja.
—Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, 17 Mar. 2026
Poitier stars as Homer Smith, a drifter who turns up in a small Arizona town and helps a group of nuns construct a chapel for the local community.
—Devan Coggan, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for drifter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drifter
Noun
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Case in point is the Koala Bear, which embraces the roots of the small living movement and leans into its strength as a portable home for one or two modern nomads.—
Adam Williams
May 24,
New Atlas,
24 May 2026
-
This system is ideal for the connected nomad, designed for those who need internet access while traveling, camping, using an RV, or in temporary locations.—
Brian Westover,
PC Magazine,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Designed to naturally decay over roughly a decade, these statues impress wanderers who seek them out.—
Kristy Tolley,
Travel + Leisure,
16 May 2026
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The cougars that make their way through Minnesota are believed to be lone wanderers from the Dakotas and Nebraska.—
Aki Nace,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
Noun
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Mark my words, Rosewood will make travelers start regarding Phuket as a tasteful destination, to tack on as the beach break during trips to Bangkok or Singapore.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
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Most travelers surveyed said their biggest regrets occurred as young adults.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
Noun
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Animals that are kennel-trained will likely be pleased to be in their cozy confines and away from the bustle of vacuums, mops, and the like, but for those who are roamers, consider gating off an area for them.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Each morning from 7 a.m., when the ocean is as smooth as glass, Hawaiian guides take Fairmont Kea Lani guests out on a traditional outrigger canoe, fashioned after the vessels used by Polynesian wayfarers to get to the islands, for an hour’s paddle.—
Laura Dannen Redman,
Robb Report,
14 May 2026
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The thugs would insinuate themselves into the confidence of wayfarers and, when a favorable opportunity presented itself, strangle them by throwing a handkerchief or noose around their necks.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drifter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drifter. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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