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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of drifts
Angela Haupt, Time, 3 June 2026
The smell of simmering garlic and tomatoes drifts through the casual dining rooms where families gather around crowded tables.
—Eva Remijan-Toba, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026
Over time, organizations that preserve accuracy rather than relying on information that gradually drifts from its source can build stronger alignment and more reliable outcomes.
—Beth Worthy, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
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
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
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
Hydrangeas can be the star of any garden with their large size and dramatic drifts of colorful, long-blooming flowers.
—Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 21 May 2026
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
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
Verb
Smoke from the front burners has farther to travel, and a lot of it drifts sideways into the kitchen before the hood can catch it.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 3 June 2026
The smell of simmering garlic and tomatoes drifts through the casual dining rooms where families gather around crowded tables.
—Eva Remijan-Toba, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026
Over time, organizations that preserve accuracy rather than relying on information that gradually drifts from its source can build stronger alignment and more reliable outcomes.
—Beth Worthy, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
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
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
Noun
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
Hydrangeas can be the star of any garden with their large size and dramatic drifts of colorful, long-blooming flowers.
—Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 21 May 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drifts
Verb
-
But perhaps most controversial is how the update will affect the program’s multibillion-dollar revenue, which flows into the state’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund each year and is distributed to various programs.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
-
The streets are worse, the parks are underfunded, code enforcement is slower, and city investment consistently flows to other parts of town.—
Mercury News Editorial Board,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Mark Bezos—Jeff’s brother—hovers around the bar.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
2 June 2026
-
Astrology, a pursuit that hovers in the nebulous space between science and storytelling, is not exactly a robust academic field, and LaFaive had no scholarly studies of Goodman’s life or work to consult.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
The film is at its best early on, as Clark wanders through a physical environment that, to his mind and ours, has no obvious origin and no clear reason to exist.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
31 May 2026
-
Nova Scotia might not be where your mind wanders when thinking of a stereotypical surf scene—but the raw coastline and Atlantic swells do actually make for some pretty great surfing when the weather is participating.—
Kaitlyn McInnis,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
Archaeologists are just beginning to understand how complex these mounds were.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
31 May 2026
-
This pie's tart lemon custard is surrounded by flaky, buttery pie crust, and topped with mounds of fluffy, golden-brown meringue.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
The site is on a low-lying barrier island in a mandatory hurricane evacuation zone and faces ongoing risks from flooding, sea-level rise, king tides and storm surge.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
6 June 2026
-
The tides and waves had washed the blood from the sand.—
Adam Van Brimmer,
AJC.com,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Consider a small refresh by choosing soft clothes that soothe your senses, which helps your energy stay even through conversations and errands.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 June 2026
-
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.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 June 2026
Verb
-
In the warmer months, don’t skip a ride on The Morgan, Sagamore’s cruising vessel that glides around Lake George.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
-
With a blend of peptides, olive oil, and vitamin E, this pencil glides on without any dragging or pilling.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
Elon Musk reportedly floats SpaceX, Tesla merger Elon Musk has reportedly discussed merging SpaceX with Tesla, a deal that would give the world’s richest person even more control over his sprawling tech empire.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
29 May 2026
-
Connor McDavid almost floats above the ice, faster than anyone in the sport’s history.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drifts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drifts. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
