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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of drifts
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
23 June 2026
In the excerpt, a character drifts through each scene shown with what seems like shellshock on his face, as the show’s sensory overload of action happens all around him.
—
Kambole Campbell,
Variety,
23 June 2026
But as Season 2 drifts closer to admiration than scrutiny, their stock heroism pales in comparison to Martian’s dynamic decision-making.
—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
22 June 2026
The nurturing Moon drifts through your 12th House of Solitude, where a quincunx from boundary-setting Saturn in your 7th House of Partnership requires rest before promises.
—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
20 June 2026
Romantic Venus drifts through your 12th House of Solitude and Healing, forming a sextile to radical Uranus in your 10th House of Career, so private reflection can shape bold improvements.
—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
15 June 2026
Many spots in Bali do these well, but The Seed fully embraces the pleasure of showering beneath open skies while warm evening air drifts through tropical greenery.
—
Arion McNicoll,
TheWeek,
15 June 2026
Cricket drifts far from the contemporary arts scene.
—
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
On Sunday mornings, families gather by the docks along Lake Erie, while church music drifts across the water.
—
Kiara Moore,
The Washington Examiner,
7 June 2026
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
23 June 2026
November 22 – December 21 Morning drifts, evening steadies your stride.
—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
22 June 2026
Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 Morning drifts, evening steadies your stride.
—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
22 June 2026
In the distance, a man and a woman trudge through the drifts toward the apartment courtyard.
—
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
Those types of drifts rarely appear in one fell swoop.
—
Polina Beletskaya,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
As Mercury drifts into Cancer, start to outline your agenda for the coming year.
—
Usa Today,
USA Today,
1 June 2026
Curved roof eaves meanwhile prevent eddies — swirling pockets of air — from producing more localized snow drifts.
—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
25 May 2026
Other bright shades include 'Caramel', which grows in drifts of attractive orange, or vibrant, bright purple Primo® 'Wild Rose'.
—
Alexandra Jones,
The Spruce,
21 May 2026
Verb
Guests will hear brakes each time the vehicle drifts or turns.
—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
23 June 2026
In the excerpt, a character drifts through each scene shown with what seems like shellshock on his face, as the show’s sensory overload of action happens all around him.
—
Kambole Campbell,
Variety,
23 June 2026
But as Season 2 drifts closer to admiration than scrutiny, their stock heroism pales in comparison to Martian’s dynamic decision-making.
—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
22 June 2026
The nurturing Moon drifts through your 12th House of Solitude, where a quincunx from boundary-setting Saturn in your 7th House of Partnership requires rest before promises.
—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
20 June 2026
Romantic Venus drifts through your 12th House of Solitude and Healing, forming a sextile to radical Uranus in your 10th House of Career, so private reflection can shape bold improvements.
—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
15 June 2026
Many spots in Bali do these well, but The Seed fully embraces the pleasure of showering beneath open skies while warm evening air drifts through tropical greenery.
—
Arion McNicoll,
TheWeek,
15 June 2026
Cricket drifts far from the contemporary arts scene.
—
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
On Sunday mornings, families gather by the docks along Lake Erie, while church music drifts across the water.
—
Kiara Moore,
The Washington Examiner,
7 June 2026
Noun
Look for compact cultivars with burgundy or deep plum foliage that contrasts with the bright flowers, or a green variety covered in drifts of white blooms.
—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
23 June 2026
November 22 – December 21 Morning drifts, evening steadies your stride.
—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
22 June 2026
Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 Morning drifts, evening steadies your stride.
—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
22 June 2026
In the distance, a man and a woman trudge through the drifts toward the apartment courtyard.
—
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
Those types of drifts rarely appear in one fell swoop.
—
Polina Beletskaya,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
As Mercury drifts into Cancer, start to outline your agenda for the coming year.
—
Usa Today,
USA Today,
1 June 2026
Curved roof eaves meanwhile prevent eddies — swirling pockets of air — from producing more localized snow drifts.
—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
25 May 2026
Other bright shades include 'Caramel', which grows in drifts of attractive orange, or vibrant, bright purple Primo® 'Wild Rose'.
—
Alexandra Jones,
The Spruce,
21 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drifts
Verb
-
As humanitarian aid flows from South Florida to Venezuela following devastating earthquakes, local Venezuelan Americans are navigating a desperate search for news of missing family members.
-
From that premise, a healthy organization depends on a cascading effect that starts at the top and flows through three key domains.
Verb
-
The population hovers at just over 200.
-
Building on a recurring motif of witches, Woods has Emily and Sylvia lift off during a thunderstorm, soaring above the city skyline in a sequence that hovers between dream and fantasy.
Verb
-
The lagoon, which wanders almost the entire length of the garden, adds a swath of blue to this oasis of green.
-
In its most scenic moments, the train wanders along the island’s coastline and through rainforest, and sugar cane fields.
Noun
-
At the time, certain teams wore BLM patches and stenciled the BLM logo onto the pitcher’s mounds.
-
Regular mowing can also disrupt ant mounds.
Noun
-
February 19 – March 20 Soft strength carries you across shifting tides today.
-
Pisces February 19 – March 20 Soft strength carries you across shifting tides today.
Noun
-
Embr Wave is a personal thermostat for your wrist that activates your thermal senses at the touch of a button through the use of precise cooling and warming sensations.
-
If nothing else, the commercial break gave Swiss coach Murat Yakin enough time to come to his senses.
Verb
-
The body then glides over the top of the windshield and starts flipping through the air over the roof.
-
Directed by Child and filmed in Whack’s hometown of Philadelphia, the song’s black-and-white visuals transform familiar city streets into a monochrome maze where Whack glides through scenes with the oozing confidence of someone ready to reclaim her narrative.
Verb
-
This time the fly lands just above the spot and floats its way down.
-
When the tank is full, the robot automatically floats to the surface and parks itself in a corner of the pool for emptying, which is a breeze thanks to a pop-out basket.
Cite this Entry
“Drifts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drifts. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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