1
as in ranging
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in flowing
to move or proceed smoothly and readily
casual conversation drifting from one topic to another
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of drifting
Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Arda Guler started the season well, either positioned permanently on the right flank or drifting there from the centre, but is on a run of 19 appearances without a goal or an assist.
—Michael Cox, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
As of early January 2026, iceberg A-23A is drifting in the South Atlantic Ocean, between the eastern tip of South America and South Georgia Island.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 12 Jan. 2026
The nation is drifting toward parallel immunization regimes, divided not by disease risk but by ideology.
—Richard Hughes Iv, STAT, 12 Jan. 2026
Interactions and internal processes send cool gas drifting inward.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 10 Jan. 2026
And probably died a little bit more when the Tyler Loop field goal that would have sent him home — maybe for good — was in the air before drifting wide right.
—Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 10 Jan. 2026
While American fans still love sports, younger ones are drifting away from watching full games to consume highlights on social media, so there are reasons to doubt that an old business model based on media rights growth will remain as lucrative.
—Adam Minter, Twin Cities, 4 Jan. 2026
Days are easily spent drifting between the beach, open-air restaurants, two-story gym, and the brand’s cult-favorite Cowshed spa.
—Annie Daly, Vogue, 3 Jan. 2026
Verb
Saudi geopolitical researcher Salman Al-Ansari rejects claims that Riyadh is drifting ideologically or embracing Islamist movements, framing Saudi policy as interest-driven.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Arda Guler started the season well, either positioned permanently on the right flank or drifting there from the centre, but is on a run of 19 appearances without a goal or an assist.
—Michael Cox, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
As of early January 2026, iceberg A-23A is drifting in the South Atlantic Ocean, between the eastern tip of South America and South Georgia Island.
—Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 12 Jan. 2026
The nation is drifting toward parallel immunization regimes, divided not by disease risk but by ideology.
—Richard Hughes Iv, STAT, 12 Jan. 2026
Interactions and internal processes send cool gas drifting inward.
—Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 10 Jan. 2026
And probably died a little bit more when the Tyler Loop field goal that would have sent him home — maybe for good — was in the air before drifting wide right.
—Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, 10 Jan. 2026
While American fans still love sports, younger ones are drifting away from watching full games to consume highlights on social media, so there are reasons to doubt that an old business model based on media rights growth will remain as lucrative.
—Adam Minter, Twin Cities, 4 Jan. 2026
Days are easily spent drifting between the beach, open-air restaurants, two-story gym, and the brand’s cult-favorite Cowshed spa.
—Annie Daly, Vogue, 3 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drifting
Verb
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The pennies could start flowing again, perhaps easing a shortage in some markets, after the Federal Reserve announced an upcoming shift in the distribution system of old 1-cent coins.—
Susan Tompor,
Freep.com,
8 Jan. 2026
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Now more diners are flowing through, gazing at the handwritten menu on the wall affixed with neat strips of orange tape, or calling ahead.—
Bill Addison,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The vessel is capable of station keeping and hovering.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
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Half of Jewish Americans ages 18-34 believe Israel has committed genocide in Gaza; that percentage number is hovering in the 30s among older groups, according to a September 2025 poll by the Washington Post.—
Joseph Strauss,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The human brain is highly susceptible to often unproductive mind-wandering, and modern technology has only made the problem worse.—
Harvard Business Review,
Harvard Business Review,
7 Jan. 2026
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The cafe is known for its panoramic view of small planes taking off or landing but also for past concerns about customers wandering off the driveway into the path of taxiing planes.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Afternoons here are deliciously drowsy, spent dozing in the shade, gently parting calm sea water, or gliding past craggy rock formations in a little motor-boat.—
Rosalyn Wikeley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Jan. 2026
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That’s why the team turned to look into how these insects transition between jumping, flapping, and gliding.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Brouk & Co Pearl Travel Jewelry Case Admittedly, my jewelry is often treated as an afterthought during travel, floating at the bottom of my toiletry bag or in a random duffel pocket.—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
15 Jan. 2026
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Injecting the drug in space wasn't easy, however, as microgravity turned the liquid in the vial into floating drops that had to be hunted down with the needle.—
Nell Greenfieldboyce,
NPR,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Unlike coyotes, which often range even in daytime as pairs or small family groups, bobcats and foxes spend the winter roaming their territory in solitude.—
Susan Koch,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Jan. 2026
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The Detroit native also praised Rock's property, calling the home paradise as the beauty influencer lives on a lush land complete with chickens, peacocks and an assortment of roaming farm animals.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Instead, DeSantis unleashed a rambling recap of the past seven years, with plenty of unsourced statistics, claims of victory that aren’t supported by reality, and wording often designed to obfuscate the most controversial parts of his tenure.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 Jan. 2026
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Day trips to Amalfi-style Taormina are well-advised for those who have yet to gawp at its clifftop panoramas across the Mediterranean or its film star hotels, as are jaunts to the rambling flea markets and splendidly scruffy trattorias of nearby Catania.—
Rosalyn Wikeley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Max Houser 6-Tier Hanging Closet Shelf Instantly create more hanging space with this fabric shelving unit that makes use of otherwise dead vertical space.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Dec. 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Drifting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drifting. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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