1
as in flows
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 hovers
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 wanders
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
2
as in tides
a prevailing or general movement or inclination
the steady drift of the population away from large cities
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in senses
the idea that is conveyed or intended to be conveyed to the mind by language, symbol, or action
you should expect a visit from the stork, if you get my drift
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of drifts
Rose Evans
updated March 3, Idaho Statesman, 3 Mar. 2026
Conveniently, the stands chose Bassett, who has occupied a central role for Portland but also drifts wide from time to time.
—Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 1 Mar. 2026
Our mind-bending conversation drifts from his early work with Marcel Marceau to dreams that inspired The Holy Mountain.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026
As the night drifts on, nothing moves.
—Leonie Baier, The Conversation, 27 Feb. 2026
Moreover, much of the air pollution across the region drifts northward from the Chicago area.
—Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Once released, the robot’s shot is fate, untouched by the vigorous, broom-flailing choreography that so often determines whether a stone bites the button or drifts wide.
—IEEE Spectrum, 18 Feb. 2026
The Seattle Times recalled the event, reporting snow drifts piling up to 20 feet high, leaving two trains stuck on the tracks.
—Brandon Downs, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
The film tells the story 21-year-old Junyang, who drifts through life while his father quietly struggles to hold their modest home together.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 10 Mar. 2026
Konrad, 24, drifts between Berlin’s techno clubs and a slow self-destruction until summoned to identify a body that may be his mother’s – a German internationalist guerrilla fighter who abandoned him when a child.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 9 Mar. 2026
Sunny, a Nigerian actor and family man, drifts between faith, fatigue and a desire to return to artistic expression.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 25 Feb. 2026
New York City kept schools open despite angry parents trudging through snow drifts, while Philadelphia and Long Island closed as crews battle conditions.
—Jake Offenhartz, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
In New York City, the storm began as light rain on March 11, before turning into heavy snow on March 12, causing heavy drifts.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 23 Feb. 2026
Officials said recent storms have dumped fresh snow onto fragile underlying layers, while strong winds have created unstable drifts, producing hazardous conditions across the Alpine arc bordering France, Switzerland and Austria.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 15 Feb. 2026
And while the broader new-vehicle market drifts toward uniformity, this field of contenders distinguished itself with varying degrees of design and innovation.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 10 Feb. 2026
As the adults worked, the kids dove into the drifts, building igloos and tunnels.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2026
Verb
Someone drifts beyond their lane and doesn’t signal.
—Rose Evans
updated March 3, Idaho Statesman, 3 Mar. 2026
Conveniently, the stands chose Bassett, who has occupied a central role for Portland but also drifts wide from time to time.
—Braidon Nourse, Denver Post, 1 Mar. 2026
Our mind-bending conversation drifts from his early work with Marcel Marceau to dreams that inspired The Holy Mountain.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026
As the night drifts on, nothing moves.
—Leonie Baier, The Conversation, 27 Feb. 2026
Moreover, much of the air pollution across the region drifts northward from the Chicago area.
—Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Once released, the robot’s shot is fate, untouched by the vigorous, broom-flailing choreography that so often determines whether a stone bites the button or drifts wide.
—IEEE Spectrum, 18 Feb. 2026
The Seattle Times recalled the event, reporting snow drifts piling up to 20 feet high, leaving two trains stuck on the tracks.
—Brandon Downs, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
The film tells the story 21-year-old Junyang, who drifts through life while his father quietly struggles to hold their modest home together.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 13 Feb. 2026
Noun
Instead, Zeisig treats the project like a beat tape, preferring static mats of sound and dynamically unyielding drifts over crescendoes and catharsis.
—Daniel Bromfield, Pitchfork, 10 Mar. 2026
Konrad, 24, drifts between Berlin’s techno clubs and a slow self-destruction until summoned to identify a body that may be his mother’s – a German internationalist guerrilla fighter who abandoned him when a child.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 9 Mar. 2026
Sunny, a Nigerian actor and family man, drifts between faith, fatigue and a desire to return to artistic expression.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 25 Feb. 2026
New York City kept schools open despite angry parents trudging through snow drifts, while Philadelphia and Long Island closed as crews battle conditions.
—Jake Offenhartz, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
In New York City, the storm began as light rain on March 11, before turning into heavy snow on March 12, causing heavy drifts.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 23 Feb. 2026
Officials said recent storms have dumped fresh snow onto fragile underlying layers, while strong winds have created unstable drifts, producing hazardous conditions across the Alpine arc bordering France, Switzerland and Austria.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 15 Feb. 2026
And while the broader new-vehicle market drifts toward uniformity, this field of contenders distinguished itself with varying degrees of design and innovation.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 10 Feb. 2026
As the adults worked, the kids dove into the drifts, building igloos and tunnels.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drifts
Verb
-
Oil prices will hinge on a steady resumption of oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz following disruptions of tanker activities there, ING analysts wrote.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Clean Gutters Make sure gutters are cleaned regularly so water flows away from your house.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That door still hovers in my mind, the dark wood; dark, too, around the edges where light usually shone.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Today, that number hovers around 500.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The story begins with a scene that taps into every parent’s worst fear, when a five-year-old child wanders off from a family birthday party.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The permit allows the ranchers to kill any wolf who wanders onto private land on two grazing allotments near the Gila National Forest in Catron County, as well as on federal land within the allotments, if the wolf is actively hurting livestock.—
Sarah Henry,
AZCentral.com,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Remnants of shell middens (high mounds of shells accumulated from long term group settlement) can still be found within the reserve.—
Kelsey Glennon,
Southern Living,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Followers of the Hopewell tradition constructed the Toolesboro mounds.—
Michael Plummer,
Des Moines Register,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The ever-present sun setting in cloudless LA makes the giant shadow letters as constant as the Pacific Ocean tides—suddenly, $150 million doesn’t seem like too much to pay.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
6 Mar. 2026
-
In a place as big as Jacksonville, restaurants come and go like the tides.—
Tom Szaroleta,
Florida Times-Union,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
You are brought to your senses, this time by squawking and the rapid beating of wings.—
Addie Citchens,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Let some quiet music gently soothe your senses while worries drift away.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
As the Coast Starlight approaches the Bay Area, the train glides past marshlands, open water, and distant city skylines before continuing toward California’s Central Coast.—
Abby Price,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Powered by skin-loving ingredients, the formula glides on effortlessly.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Garden District is one of those areas that floats between yesterday and tomorrow, where Greek- and Italianate-style homes adorned with ornate cast iron and sweeping verandas provide shade for people watching and respite from the commercial center.—
Kristin Braswell,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Feb. 2026
-
But even with hundreds of objects, the show barely floats the question of how that chemistry operated, let alone explore it.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
26 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drifts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drifts. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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