Drift — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈdrift/

Meaning & Definition of Drift

Drift (noun)

  1. the act of driving something along
  2. the flow or the velocity of the current of a river or ocean stream
  3. something driven, propelled, or urged along or drawn together in a clump by or as if by a natural agency

Drift (verb)

  1. to become driven or carried along (as by a current of water, wind, or air)
  2. to move or float smoothly and effortlessly
  3. to move along a line of least resistance

Drift (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to move or proceed smoothly and readily

    "casual conversation drifting from one topic to another"

    similar: bowl, breeze, brush, coast, cruise, flow, glide, roll, sail, skim, slide, slip, stream, sweep, whisk
    related: fly, race, rush, speed
    opposite: flounder, struggle
    near: limp, lumber, plod, stumble, trudge, shamble, shuffle, stamp, stomp, stump, tramp, labor, toil

  2. to rest or move along the surface of a liquid or in the air

    "the boat drifted along on the current"

    similar: float, glide, hang, hover, poise, ride, sail, swim, waft
    related: bob, dangle, suspend, buoy, balloon, raft
    opposite: settle, sink
    near: dive, lunge, plunge, dip, immerse, submerge, submerse

  3. to move about from place to place aimlessly

    "spent several years drifting from town to town, picking up odd jobs whenever he needed cash"

    similar: bat, cruise, float, gad (about), gallivant, kick around, knock (about), maunder, meander, mooch, ramble, range, roam, rove, traipse, wander
    related: amble, saunter, stroll, dawdle, mope, hobo, tramp, vagabond, mill (about or around), straggle, stray

Drift (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a pile or ridge of granular matter (as sand or snow)

    "deep drifts of snow blocked our driveway"

    similar: bank, bar, mound
    related: snowbank, snowdrift, embankment, sandbar, heap, hill, mass, mountain, stack, tuft

  2. a prevailing or general movement or inclination

    "the steady drift of the population away from large cities"

    similar: current, direction, leaning, run, tendency, tide, trend, wind
    related: curve, downside, shift, swing, turn, turnabout, upside, custom, habit, propensity, tenor, way, countercurrent, countertrend, undercurrent, undertow

  3. 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"

    similar: content, denotation, import, intent, intention, meaning, purport, sense, significance, signification
    related: connotation, clue, cue, hint, implication, indication, inkling, intimation, suggestion, message, tenor, theme, bottom, essence, essentiality, nature, soul, spirit, stuff, acceptance, acceptation, definition, burden, crux, gist, core, heart, kernel, marrow, nub, nucleus, pith, point, quick, matter, motif, motive, question, subject, topic

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Drift

The most common words with a similar meaning to Drift:

bowl, breeze, brush, coast, cruise, flow, glide, roll, sail, skim, slide, slip, stream, sweep, whisk, float, hang, hover, poise, ride, swim, waft, bat, gad (about), gallivant, kick around, knock (about), maunder, meander, mooch, ramble, range, roam, rove, traipse, wander, bank, bar, mound, current

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Drift

Words with the opposite meaning of Drift:

flounder, struggle, settle, sink

Related Words for Drift

fly, race, rush, speed, bob, dangle, suspend, buoy, balloon, raft, amble, saunter, stroll, dawdle, mope, hobo, tramp, vagabond, mill (about or around), straggle, stray, snowbank, snowdrift, embankment, sandbar, heap, hill, mass, mountain, stack

Near Antonyms of Drift

limp, lumber, plod, stumble, trudge, shamble, shuffle, stamp, stomp, stump, tramp, labor, toil, dive, lunge, plunge, dip, immerse, submerge, submerse

Word Forms of Drift

Inflections: drifts, drifted, drifting

Derived words: drifty (adjective), driftingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Drift

Middle English; akin to Old English drīfan to drive drive

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Drift

Words & Phrases Containing Drift

drift fence, drift net, drift off, continental drift, genetic drift, catch one's drift, catch someone's drift, get someone's drift

Frequently Asked Questions about Drift

What does "Drift" mean?

"Drift" means the act of driving something along. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: the act of driving something along. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Drift"?

Other words for "Drift" include bowl, breeze, brush, coast, cruise, flow, glide and roll. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Drift" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Drift"?

There are 143 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Drift". Common alternatives include bowl, breeze, brush, coast, cruise, flow, glide, roll, sail and skim.

What is the opposite of "Drift"?

Antonyms of "Drift" include flounder, struggle, settle and sink. Near antonyms include limp, lumber, plod and stumble.

How do you use "Drift" in a sentence?

Examples of "Drift" in a sentence: "casual conversation drifting from one topic to another"; "the boat drifted along on the current"; "spent several years drifting from town to town, picking up odd jobs whenever he needed cash".

Is "Drift" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Drift" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Drift" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Drift" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Drift"?

"Drift" is pronounced /ˈdrift/.