DRIFTS Synonyms: 170 Similar and Opposite Words

drifts 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of drift

as in flows

to move or proceed smoothly and readily casual conversation drifting from one topic to another

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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

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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as in tides

a prevailing or general movement or inclination the steady drift of the population away from large cities

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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

Verb

While oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz have largely recovered, the cost to get that crude out has skyrocketed because of expensive and inefficient workarounds being used.

— Matt Egan, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026
While several leaders in my survey described stagnant information flows as an impediment to responding to overlapping disruptions, a few also reported tackling internal communications as a way to deal with polycrisis.

— Carol Geffner, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of flows

Verb

As Indy hovers above us, for instance, his legs and hips subtly shift.

— Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of hovers

Verb

A bit later, Len wanders down to her place for coffee and their morning round of cards.

— Anne Kadet, Curbed, 14 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of wanders

Noun

Israel regularly imposes restrictions on movement across the Palestinian occupied territory with some 925 checkpoints, roadblocks, earth mounds and other barriers.

— Ruth Sherlock, NPR, 24 Oct. 2026
But despite this, they were still conceived of as being located within the mounds themselves, real-world anchors for these strange, marvelous realms.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of mounds

Noun

The Grand Opera House’s overall architecture responds to the rhythm of the Huangpu River’s tides with a fluid and dynamic form.

— Wendy Wang, Architectural Digest, 22 Oct. 2026
The National Weather Service issued a coastal flood advisory Thursday as rain and king tides are forecast to soak South Florida.

— Miami Herald Staff Report, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of tides

Noun

The Find + Follow Air Purifier senses areas of high air pollutants in the home – such as where residents are cooking, smoking or burning candles – and adjusts its position to clean this air.

— Tracy Achonwa, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
The five senses — sound, touch, taste, vision and smell — are all key blocks of memory building.

— Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of senses

Verb

When my skin is this smooth and even-toned, my makeup glides without a hitch, without a pill or skip in sight.

— Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 26 Oct. 2026
The 2026 Best of Beauty winner has a milky texture that glides over skin and a nine-ingredient formula that keeps things uncomplicated.

— Sheryl George, Allure, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of glides

Verb

Expect a night of dazzling sights, as costumed performers, puppets and floats make their way down Columbus Drive.

— Jennifer Day, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
Each night, Musgraves floats over the audience, cozily nestled in a giant set of disco ball Truck Nutz.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of floats

Browse Nearby Words

drifting

drifts

drill

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Style

“Drifts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drifts. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of drifts

verb

noun

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