Synonyms of drifts

drifts 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of drift

1

as in flows

to move or proceed smoothly and readily

casual conversation drifting from one topic to another

Synonyms & Similar Words

• flows
• glides
• sails
• slips
• cruises
• sweeps
• streams
• slides
• rolls
• brushes
• flies
• races
• speeds
• bowls
• rushes
• breezes
• coasts
• whisks
• skims

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• struggles
• flounders
• stumbles
• trudges
• limps
• shuffles
• plods
• lumbers
• stamps
• stomps
• stumps
• toils
• labors
• tramps
• shambles

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

• hovers
• floats
• sails
• swims
• glides
• wafts
• rides
• hangs
• poises
• bobs
• dangles
• suspends
• buoys
• rafts
• balloons

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• settles
• sinks
• plunges
• dives
• dips
• lunges
• submerges
• immerses
• submerses

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

• wanders
• roams
• floats
• strolls
• cruises
• meanders
• roves
• ranges
• traipses
• knocks (about)
• rambles
• saunters
• gallivants
• ambles
• mooches
• bats
• gads (about)
• maunders
• dawdles
• strays
• straggles
• kicks around
• mopes
• mills (about or around)
• vagabonds
• tramps
• hobos

drifts

2 of 2

noun

plural of drift

1

as in mounds

a pile or ridge of granular matter (as sand or snow)

deep drifts of snow blocked our driveway

Synonyms & Similar Words

• mounds
• banks
• mountains
• tufts
• bars
• stacks
• snowdrifts
• masses
• heaps
• snowbanks
• embankments
• hills
• sandbars

2

as in tides

a prevailing or general movement or inclination

the steady drift of the population away from large cities

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tides
• tendencies
• trends
• directions
• winds
• runs
• shifts
• currents
• leanings
• turns
• curves
• swings
• habits
• customs
• turnabouts
• propensities
• ways
• tenors
• countercurrents
• downsides
• upsides
• undertows
• undercurrents
• countertrends

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

• senses
• meanings
• contents
• imports
• intentions
• significances
• intents
• themes
• connotations
• messages
• definitions
• implications
• stuff
• denotations
• cues
• topics
• indications
• purports
• significations
• intimations
• natures
• suggestions
• clues
• hints
• inklings
• spirits
• essences
• souls
• burdens
• subjects
• matters
• hearts
• acceptances
• motives
• nuclei
• bottoms
• motifs
• kernels
• questions
• tenors
• points
• cores
• acceptations
• marrows
• cruxes
• nubs
• essentialities
• piths
• quicks
• gists

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of drifts

Verb

The focus drifts slightly at one point. —Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2026

As the boat drifts along the border, watch for eagles overhead and elk along the shoreline. —Shilo Urban, Travel + Leisure, 19 May 2026

Part of why the document drifts is that almost no one with direct knowledge of the work is involved in defining it. —Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 19 May 2026

As Orion drifts away, the service module can be seen reflected in the capsule's mirror-like heat shield. —Josh Dinner, Space.com, 18 May 2026

As his daughter Kyoko (Banno) struggles to keep their fractured home together, Shinji drifts further into delusion, finding his sole tether to reality at a bar run by Mari (Ahn). —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 May 2026

One rule of thumb suggests rebalancing when any portfolio component drifts 5 percentage points from your goal. —Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 16 May 2026

Handles near stoves and prep areas usually need more frequent attention because airborne grease naturally drifts throughout the room. —Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 14 May 2026

The road drifts, then gets back on track. —Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 12 May 2026

Noun

Smoke drifts from the kitchen into the living room, pollen follows people through the front door and pet dander settles into bedrooms and carpets. —Ryan Brennan may 18, Charlotte Observer, 18 May 2026

The French Riviera, for one, is at its most compelling from the water, where the scent of citrus drifts from shore and the low buzz of beach clubs carries on the air. —Rachel Ingram, Robb Report, 16 May 2026

Then, plant them in generous drifts (rather than single blooms), as pollinators are more attracted to dense patches. —Cori Sears, The Spruce, 13 May 2026

Creating drifts of plants will create a flight path hummingbirds can’t miss. —Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 May 2026

Another quiet but essential presence is Orin Jacobs, whose live clarinet playing drifts in and out of the production. —Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 12 May 2026

Get it wrong and everything from sleep onset to cortisol timing drifts. —Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 7 May 2026

Wyoming is also windier than Colorado, pushing snow into drifts that must be re-plowed if gusts persist. —ABC News, 6 May 2026

The greatest risk for severe thunderstorms this afternoon is south of Interstate 80, but officials warn the threat could shift if the warm front drifts further north than currently expected. —Audrey Pachuta, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026