driftwood

noun

drift·​wood ˈdrift-ˌwu̇d How to pronounce driftwood (audio)
1
: wood drifted or floated by water
2

Examples of driftwood in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Burn shoreline driftwood The Army Corps of Engineers Beaver Lake office is accepting applications from adjacent landowners to burn driftwood and other flood debris on public land around Beaver Lake through Aug. 15. Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2025 Greenwood State Beach unfolds below the bluff, a crescent of sand often empty but for driftwood piles and the occasional bonfire ring. Lauren Mowery, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025 Trash and driftwood littered the peninsula. Molly Parker, ProPublica, 4 Sep. 2025 Blooming weeds gnawing their way through paving cracks, slate roof tiles lacquered by rain, peeling front doors warped and faded by the sun to virtual driftwood: Jenkins’ camera treasures all the down-at-heel details of its locale, a fading, unnamed fishing village visited by few and left by many. Guy Lodge, Variety, 31 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for driftwood

Word History

First Known Use

1633, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of driftwood was in 1633

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Driftwood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/driftwood. Accessed 24 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

driftwood

noun
drift·​wood ˈdrift-ˌwu̇d How to pronounce driftwood (audio)
: wood drifted or floated by water

More from Merriam-Webster on driftwood

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!