1
as in flowed
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 hovered
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 wandered
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
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 drifted
Around the communal tables, conversations paused as traditional Vietnamese court music drifted through the room.
—
Karen Yuan,
Vogue,
3 July 2026
As well as dropping deep, Cruyff also drifted out wide and provided two assists in the group stage with fine crosses.
—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
1 July 2026
What righty Cade Cavalli shouted at Willson Contreras drifted into the Boston night, fading just beyond the field’s ears and scarcely repeated by the mouths of those who heard.
—
Noah White,
Washington Post,
1 July 2026
Davis drifted away from professional musicianship, in part to focus on her education, but the couple continued playing commercially with The Luxembourg Signal for many years.
—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 July 2026
Klausner answered that question with whisper-light sheer crepe shirting, floaty shorts and barely-there chiffon tanks that drifted across the stage.
—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
29 June 2026
The sharpest critiques suggest audience fatigue with Gunn’s stylistic fingerprints and concern that the character has drifted from her traditional identity.
—
Anthony D'alessandro,
Deadline,
29 June 2026
Our boat drifted through the Kazinga Channel, the waterway linking Lake George and Lake Edward in Uganda's Queen Elizabeth National Park.
—
Sarah Kingdom,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2026
The fire and resultant smoke that drifted across the city prompted Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to declare a state of emergency in the Boyle Heights neighborhood on Saturday, unlocking state resources to tackle it.
—
Josh Boswell,
CBS News,
26 June 2026
Karen Yuan,
Vogue,
3 July 2026
As well as dropping deep, Cruyff also drifted out wide and provided two assists in the group stage with fine crosses.
—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
1 July 2026
What righty Cade Cavalli shouted at Willson Contreras drifted into the Boston night, fading just beyond the field’s ears and scarcely repeated by the mouths of those who heard.
—
Noah White,
Washington Post,
1 July 2026
Davis drifted away from professional musicianship, in part to focus on her education, but the couple continued playing commercially with The Luxembourg Signal for many years.
—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 July 2026
Klausner answered that question with whisper-light sheer crepe shirting, floaty shorts and barely-there chiffon tanks that drifted across the stage.
—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
29 June 2026
The sharpest critiques suggest audience fatigue with Gunn’s stylistic fingerprints and concern that the character has drifted from her traditional identity.
—
Anthony D'alessandro,
Deadline,
29 June 2026
Our boat drifted through the Kazinga Channel, the waterway linking Lake George and Lake Edward in Uganda's Queen Elizabeth National Park.
—
Sarah Kingdom,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2026
The fire and resultant smoke that drifted across the city prompted Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to declare a state of emergency in the Boyle Heights neighborhood on Saturday, unlocking state resources to tackle it.
—
Josh Boswell,
CBS News,
26 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drifted
Verb
-
Missile and drone stockpiles grew as money flowed to terrorist proxies across the Middle East.
-
Energy flowed out of my body like sweat on a blistering hot day.
Verb
-
Off-pitch issues hovered over the tournament, but the football has delivered.
-
The lowest get-in prices hovered around $3,500 early Saturday on Friday.
Verb
-
The 1,200-pound giraffe, named Gracie, wandered away from her unfenced habitat at Cedar Hollow Ranch in Leakey, Texas, on June 12.
-
At the time, the ranch said the giraffe had likely slipped through an enclosure gate and wandered into surrounding private ranchland.
Verb
-
Gwinnett was an English clergymen’s son who sailed for the colonies in 1762 and opened a general store in Savannah in 1765.
-
Most of the crew members had sailed together for years, spending as much time on board as at home; several were related.
Verb
-
Emerson’s single that floated just above the outstretched glove of Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel drove in the first two.
-
Muhammad floated a 155-pound matchup with Rafael Fiziev, fresh off his Baku knockout win.
Verb
-
The age of sail, when pirates like Johnny Depp’s fictional Jack Sparrow roamed the seven seas, ended about 200 years ago.
-
Earlier this month, dozens of police officers, hunters and city officials were deployed in the city of Utsunomiya, north of Tokyo, to catch a bear that roamed the streets for four days, forcing mass school closures.
Verb
-
The particles glided past each other effortlessly.
-
Up close, the design boasted a ruffled accent along the neckline that added movement to the gown as Saldaña glided around the room.
Verb
-
And none of us have swam in the ocean the same way since!
-
His father, John, swam for the Spartans.
Cite this Entry
“Drifted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drifted. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
