1
as in to flow
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 to hover
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 to wander
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 tide
a prevailing or general movement or inclination
the steady drift of the population away from large cities
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in sense
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
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Recent Examples of drift
Tom Tapp, Deadline, 24 Feb. 2025
Angler Les Anderson caught the fish drifting a spin-n-glo.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 20 Feb. 2025
Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 28 Jan. 2025
The Houston area reported snowfall ranging from 2 to 4 inches, while snow drifts reached as far as Gulf Coast beaches—an exceedingly rare phenomenon.
—John Yoo and John Shu, Newsweek, 23 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for drift
Verb
The goal is to create a sensation of drifting cars as guests spin in motion at furiously fast speeds.
—Tom Tapp, Deadline, 24 Feb. 2025
Angler Les Anderson caught the fish drifting a spin-n-glo.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 20 Feb. 2025
Noun
Porsche said the previous record for length for a drift on ice was 14.8 kilometers, or about 9.2 miles.
—Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 28 Jan. 2025
The Houston area reported snowfall ranging from 2 to 4 inches, while snow drifts reached as far as Gulf Coast beaches—an exceedingly rare phenomenon.
—John Yoo and John Shu, Newsweek, 23 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for drift
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drift
Verb
-
Huge glaciers flow down all of its sides, reaching up to fifty miles.—
Cassidy Randall,
Rolling Stone,
2 Mar. 2025
-
In fact, some 40% of natural gas produced in the U.S. flows through Kinder’s systems.—
Brett Owens,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Preferring to take her chances solo, in the outside world, rather than go with Helena Eagan (Britt Lower) to meet with the board, Harmony’s whereabouts — and loyalties — have been a major question mark hovering over Season 2’s steadily escalating events.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
7 Mar. 2025
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The price of bitcoin was last hovering flat at $88,949.16, according to Coin Metrics.—
Tanaya Macheel,
CNBC,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
For nonmembers, who can enter at 9 a.m., the event represents a great time to wander the gardens, buy plants and seek inspiration from gardening experts.—
Patrick Connolly,
Orlando Sentinel,
6 Mar. 2025
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Let your mind wander over the prompts without judging what comes up.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Now that Alcantara is healthy and back on the mound, he's shown that his arm is doing perfectly fine.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
-
The pavement has been dug up by the Israeli military’s D-9 bulldozers – mounds of asphalt and dirt piled up on the sides of roads, often pouring into shops and homes.—
Jeremy Diamond,
CNN,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The spiral structure of the cloud is believed to have emerged as a consequence of the Galactic tide—the gravitational influence of the surrounding Milky Way galaxy.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
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President Donald Trump’s return to the White House has turned the tide in relations, however, as last week saw the first high-level sit-down talks between U.S. and Russian officials in years, looking to lay the groundwork for Ukraine peace talks.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
None offer the sense of exclusivity found at The Estates.—
Paula Conway,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
-
But the Mac Studio has been around for a few years now, and Apple likely has a better sense of how the Max-versus-Ultra sales break down.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Specs: One red light (630 nm) wavelength Best For: Brightening, diminishing dark spots, smoothing fine lines How to Use: Moving in an upward direction, glide the tool across hydrated skin on the jaw, cheeks, neck, forehead, under-eye area, and upper lip.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
22 Feb. 2025
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And then there are flying squirrels, which don't actually fly, but use the flaps of skin between their legs to glide through the air.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
19 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Raine seems cold and by-the-book early on, but as she’s personally pulled into the case at hand, her complexities float to the surface.—
Sezin Koehler,
EW.com,
28 Feb. 2025
-
Large Arabic numerals seem to float between the sapphire crystal and the movement, standing out with white Super-LumiNova for added visibility.—
Matthew Catellier,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Drift.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drift. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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