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.
Meanwhile, in Bar Sur, regional maker Cata Flaño contributed a massive mixed-media mural combining watercolors with local peat, driftwood, and historical navigation charts marked at 55 degrees south. — Liam Hess, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026 So Sabas worked around a violet accord with a spearmint extract and a driftwood accord. — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2026 His goal is to teach more young people to make driftwood art. — Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor, 9 Oct. 2026 In 2023, a woman walking along Rio Del Mar State Beach near Santa Cruz spotted a foot-long object that looked like a piece of driftwood. — Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026 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

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Cite this Entry

“Driftwood.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/driftwood. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Kids Definition

: wood drifted or floated by water
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