drifting 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of driftingnext
1
as in ranging

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in hovering

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Dissimilar Words

drifting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of drift
1
as in flowing
to move or proceed smoothly and readily casual conversation drifting from one topic to another

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in floating
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
3
as in wandering
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 drifting
Verb
Plush toys have long served as soft zero-g indicators for spaceflight missions, drifting freely to signal the instant a spacecraft enters weightlessness. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026 Stewart complained about the chain’s merchandising and quality control, and Kmart was drifting toward financial trouble. — Fernanda Tronco, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026 Chidgasornpongse crystallizes that cosmic doom further when Grandma Saluay falls half-asleep or stares out the van window, her mind drifting into the ether. — Lé Baltar, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026 Gourmand fragrances with their edible, dessert-like notes remain everywhere, but perfumer Alberto Morillas predicts the category is drifting toward something more complex. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026 As neural-network pioneer Geoffrey Hinton, Mark Rylance projects an almost ethereal braininess, drifting through rooms as though the rest of him were on some other plane of existence. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026 Expect to see plenty of holidaymakers and honeymooners hanging out by the pool or drifting in and out of the on-site spa. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 The issue, of course, stems from the sound of rider screams from the coaster drifting into the residential area. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 In May, for example, astronomers suggested that a lunar-mass PBH might have been spotted drifting through the halo of our Milky Way, but follow-up work suggested the sighting was a variable star, not a black hole. — Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 2 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drifting
  1. wandering
  2. hovering
  3. flowing
  4. floating
  5. roaming
  6. rambling
  7. hanging
  8. gliding
Adjective
  • Despite this informal, jam-forward approach, however, Silk Fence appear to be chasing something; an understated but steady coherence gives direction to even their most wandering moments.
    — Reed Jackson, SPIN, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Johnny JeanBaptiste, 36, and Stacia McMillian, 32, were charged with one count of child neglect without great bodily harm after deputies responded to the report of the wandering toddler, officials said.
    — Felix Rodriguez, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of wandering
Adjective
  • The drones then find the best hovering altitude before each lining up to spray the fire, one after the other.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 20 July 2026
  • He-Man was now a jolly, quip-ready hero, whose best friends were scaredy-cat Cringer (a green-and-yellow tiger who transformed into Battle Cat), and an annoying, hovering magician called Orko.
    — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 1 June 2026
Definition of hovering
Verb
  • The cash is flowing to candidates, super PACs and industry groups aiming to shape policy fights in Washington.
    — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Olivia Rodrigo originally planned to hit the stage at her inaugural Daisy Chain Fields festival in August in an iconic floor-length, flowing white gown.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of flowing
Verb
  • Clapp said the firm focuses on avoiding highly leveraged companies and floating-rate debt, instead favoring investments with dependable cash flows to support clients over the long term.
    — Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Most of your loans are floating, which is great for you guys a bit, but also requires that your borrowers are going to have to come up with more cash.
    — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of floating
Verb
  • More than 180,000 giant tortoises roaming freely on our atoll is proof of what long-term commitment to conservation can achieve.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The mustang had been roaming near Liberty Reservoir after he was spooked by a lawnmower and jumped over a fence at the end of June.
    — CBS Baltimore, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of roaming
Adjective
  • After the event was disrupted by an armed intruder, the Administration and the association scheduled a July do-over, where Trump delivered a rambling speech indulging seemingly every tangent that sprang to mind, but his contempt remained apparent.
    — Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2026
  • The rambling result is friendly and approachable—a one-level house with plenty of room for entertaining guests, as well as thoughtful steal-away spaces for catching your breath.
    — Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of rambling
Adjective
  • The set of three miniature lights each features a vintage hanging-lantern design that looks straight out of a storybook and casts a warm gold glow across your collection.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Opt for bigger hanging bulbs, discrete flickers, or even hanging sheaths.
    — Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2026
Definition of hanging
Verb
  • Take the account of a giant, gentle whale shark gliding through the blue waters off the Southern California coast.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • There was smoothness and gliding, and Bruno saw Guillermo attempting heel leads.
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of gliding

Browse Nearby Words

drifters
drifting
drifts
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Cite this Entry

“Drifting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drifting. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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