1
as in flowing
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 floating
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 wandering
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
as in ranging
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of drifting
Art De Roché, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2025
The pajama set is crafted from deep red silk and printed with abstract nude figures — a motif inspired by bodies in motion and drifting smoke, as well as the photography of Arno Nobles.
—Hanna McNeila, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2025
No photograph could catch the smell drifting from the nearby military barracks and Indian camps; capture the murmured swirl of French, English, Arapaho, and Lakota; or let a viewer feel the colliding anxieties and expectations that hung heavy over negotiations like this.
—Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025
Even minor sparks or drifting embers can incite nearby foliage or grass, setting off a rapidly spreading fire.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 26 Sep. 2025
The same Luch/Olymp satellite then fired its thrusters to begin drifting to another slot thousands of miles away to sidle up next to another Intelsat bird named Intelsat 39.
—Benj Edwards, ArsTechnica, 25 Sep. 2025
These beads resembled tiny holes in the light, staying stable for hours and drifting only a few degrees over the course of the day, the new study reports.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Hinako lives alone by the sea, quietly drifting through life after losing her family years ago.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 18 Sep. 2025
Images shared by the USGS and the National Weather Service in Portland showed plumes of ash drifting downwind, fueling momentary panic for anyone watching the skies.
—Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 17 Sep. 2025
Adjective
With the game in danger of drifting, Zubimendi kept probing.
—Art De Roché, New York Times, 5 Oct. 2025
The pajama set is crafted from deep red silk and printed with abstract nude figures — a motif inspired by bodies in motion and drifting smoke, as well as the photography of Arno Nobles.
—Hanna McNeila, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2025
No photograph could catch the smell drifting from the nearby military barracks and Indian camps; capture the murmured swirl of French, English, Arapaho, and Lakota; or let a viewer feel the colliding anxieties and expectations that hung heavy over negotiations like this.
—Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025
Even minor sparks or drifting embers can incite nearby foliage or grass, setting off a rapidly spreading fire.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 26 Sep. 2025
The same Luch/Olymp satellite then fired its thrusters to begin drifting to another slot thousands of miles away to sidle up next to another Intelsat bird named Intelsat 39.
—Benj Edwards, ArsTechnica, 25 Sep. 2025
These beads resembled tiny holes in the light, staying stable for hours and drifting only a few degrees over the course of the day, the new study reports.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Hinako lives alone by the sea, quietly drifting through life after losing her family years ago.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 18 Sep. 2025
Images shared by the USGS and the National Weather Service in Portland showed plumes of ash drifting downwind, fueling momentary panic for anyone watching the skies.
—Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drifting
Verb
-
Based on events and social media posts from recent months, bad blood hasn't been flowing from our side of the street.—
Amanda Hancock,
Louisville Courier Journal,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Cohen then took a chainsaw to a small replica of the Pentagon, with fake dollar bills flowing out to symbolize the waste, as people who had gathered there cheered.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Crude is down 11% this year, with some analysts expecting prices, currently hovering above $60 a barrel, to dip into the low $50s as oversupply builds.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
2 Oct. 2025
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Safe havens surge While stocks are hovering near record highs, a surge in gold and silver prices is signaling lingering concern about political and economic uncertainty.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Fall is in full swing, and that means now is the time to seek out autumnal experiences like leaf peeping and pumpkin patch wandering.—
Opheli Garcia Lawler,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Oct. 2025
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Embrace that cozy energy by visiting a pumpkin patch, sipping cider, wearing sweaters or wandering through a charming small town to channel your inner Gilmore.—
Andrea Wurzburger,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
On third-and-11 in the first quarter, Iamaleava spotted a sliver of daylight that wasn’t there a blink before and turned it into a 22-yard jailbreak up the gut, gliding past white jerseys.—
Cameron Teague Robinson,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
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The simplicity is intentional so your eye isn't bouncing, but rather gliding through the room.—
Kathy Barnes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The art news website ArtNet even pointed out that the scene in season 3 of White Lotus in which Walton Goggins and Aimee Lou Woods are floating dead in the water appears to invoke the Millais painting.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
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Republicans are floating ways to put income caps on the subsidies or limit the number of people who are eligible to receive them.—
Franco Ordoñez,
NPR,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Observing this phenomenon could provide insight into the many alien worlds roaming freely through space.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Oct. 2025
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Johnson County officials are turning to Fort Worth for help in capturing a pack of dogs roaming neighborhoods in Godley and threatening children’s safety.—
Fousia Abdullahi,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Of the other methods – including electrocution, lethal gas and hanging – lethal injection had the highest botch rate of more than 7%. ‘An embrace of brutality’ Still, states have remained averse to the firing squad, a position that experts who spoke to CNN believe stems from its overt violence.—
Dakin Andone,
CNN Money,
10 Apr. 2025
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The neutral material keeps it from looking like an eye sore and can be expanded for more hanging space as needed.—
Micaela Arnett,
Rolling Stone,
10 Jan. 2024
Verb
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Instead of a weekend at the beach, cruising to the Caribbean is a tempting possibility for girls’ trips, birthdays, and mini vacations.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
3 Oct. 2025
-
After Game 1, in which the Padres’ Nick Pivetta was cruising right up until allowing back-to-back home runs, manager Mike Shildt acted decisively yesterday, replacing Dylan Cease after just 69 pitches (and five strikeouts) through 3 2/3 shutout innings.—
Levi Weaver,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Drifting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drifting. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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