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

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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

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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

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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

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2
as in tides
a prevailing or general movement or inclination the steady drift of the population away from large cities

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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

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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
Verb
His attention drifts towards intimate details – the bare armpit, the small hollow at the base of Rafael’s neck – and the music follows him into this increasingly private, almost obsessive fascination. — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026 Filmed largely in natural daylight, the film drifts between still, unhurried, panning shots to evoke not only the spiritual energy that keeps the temples humming but also a world in slow, gradual decay. — Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026 After the low pressure area drifts toward the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, the Gulf Coast of the United States is the likely destination. — Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026 The duo leaves us there for nearly six minutes, sending drone clouds of various textures while Schwendener’s voice drifts through the distant fog. — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026 And as the story drifts to Miami, London, New York, and back to Kingston again, it’s held together by James’ passion for the era’s pop culture and his characters’ will to survive in the face of hatred. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 22 Sep. 2026 All parents struggle in some way to adjust to life as empty nesters, but Charlie leaves his mom and dad in a somber, reflective state that casts a heavy pall over an episode that drifts toward the turgid. — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026 Our low, bargelike vessel drifts serenely, unhurriedly along the brown river. — Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026 Like the Argentinian, Mora drifts freely between the lines, demanding the ball from team-mates before driving purposefully at goal. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Noun
That’s a big discount considering the usual price drifts between $240 and $299. — Brad Bourque, The Verge, 6 Oct. 2026 But engineers estimate that once Swift drifts below 185 miles (300 kilometers) in early to mid-October, operating the telescope will become a challenge, according to NASA. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026 The more intimate spaces in the apartment are paneled in the same heavy black raw silk that was once used for a Dolce & Gabbana opera coat; even the windows are curtained in billowing drifts of black silk chiffon. — Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 20 Sep. 2026 This makes the final month intriguing, even if some fantasy managers’ focus drifts toward football. — Greg Jewett, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 When every home needs a magazine-worthy renovation and every vacation looks like a luxury resort, our definition of what’s normal drifts upward. — Bydoug Ashburn, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Aug. 2026 An air quality advisory has been issued for the San Francisco Bay Area, as smoke from fires burning in the Pacific Northwest drifts into the region. — Tim Fang, CBS News, 4 Aug. 2026 Pay drifts again the moment reviews stop, so the companies actually narrowing the gap are the ones treating it as an ongoing practice, not a box checked once and revisited only when the numbers make headlines. — Kara Dennison, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 As much as 58 inches of snow fell in some regions, and strong winds up to 80 mph were responsible for large snow drifts -- many over 50 feet tall. — Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 4 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drifts
  1. flows
  2. hovers
  3. wanders
  4. mounds
  5. tides
  6. senses
  7. glides
  8. floats
Verb
  • More than 99 percent of international data flows through submarine telecommunications cables, according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Important information flows back to the people responsible for moving the relationship forward.
    — Karen Cochran, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of flows
Verb
  • But when Alexander saw the green machine, the tree excavator, feet away from the 100-year-old oak tree that hovers over the corner of Salem Drive and Idlewood Circle, that was not fine.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The band hovers in a razor-thin lacuna between heaven and hell, between ascension and purgatory, on the verge of going either way.
    — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of hovers
Verb
  • Third place was Japanese director Sabu’s Arrested Memory, a crime caper about a detective with dementia who unwittingly wanders off with a multimillion-dollar ransom, sending cops and criminals on his trail.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Perhaps most telling of all, Stone cuts the character of Carlotta, a governess born to circus performers who wanders through the play like a lost clown, origin-less, amused, and sad.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of wanders
Noun
  • Inside, the line wraps around the room, and cups everywhere are filled with fluffy mounds of Greek yogurt crowned with fresh fruit, nuts, dark chocolate cacao nibs and other ingredients.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Stem cells, peptides, testosterone, pills, mounds of supplements just to keep everything balanced.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of mounds
Noun
  • Recent storms and king tides have raised concerns in the community as to the integrity of the seawall.
    — Lauren Pozen, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The king tides came knocking Then, in August, came the first big king tide that sent punishing waves slamming into houses along the boardwalk.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of tides
Noun
  • Read Full Review Designed to tie in the five elements and the five senses, this Greek idyll is built into a mountain and has a large spherical pool as its physical and spiritual center.
    — CNT Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • When our skin senses heat, those signals travel to a primitive part of the brain that tells our body to cool down.
    — Will Stone, NPR, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of senses
Verb
  • Xerf uses dual-frequency energy administered through a patented device that glides across the skin.
    — Shelby Wax, Vogue, 12 Oct. 2026
  • His camera glides around rooms and pans at opportune moments to maximize the power of offscreen space.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of glides
Verb
  • Fukushima floats another possible benefit, one that might appeal to the easily queasy, this writer included.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Named after the Victoria Regia, a water lily that floats in the Amazon, this hotel imbues Colombian flavor with elegant French touches.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of floats

Browse Nearby Words

drifting
drifts
drill
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Cite this Entry

“Drifts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drifts. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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