Synonyms of drifted

drifted

verb

past tense of drift

1

as in flowed

to move or proceed smoothly and readily

casual conversation drifting from one topic to another

Synonyms & Similar Words

• flowed
• sailed
• glided
• slipped
• swept
• slid
• rolled
• brushed
• cruised
• flew
• raced
• sped
• rushed
• streamed
• coasted
• skimmed
• bowled
• breezed
• whisked

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• struggled
• floundered
• stumbled
• trudged
• limped
• shuffled
• plodded
• lumbered
• stamped
• labored
• stomped
• tramped
• toiled
• stumped
• shambled

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

• hovered
• sailed
• floated
• swam
• glided
• wafted
• rode
• bobbed
• poised
• hung
• suspended
• dangled
• buoyed
• rafted
• ballooned

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• settled
• sank
• plunged
• dived
• lunged
• submerged
• immersed
• dipped
• submersed

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

• wandered
• roamed
• strolled
• floated
• cruised
• meandered
• ranged
• roved
• knocked (about)
• rambled
• traipsed
• batted
• sauntered
• gallivanted
• ambled
• mooched
• maundered
• strayed
• gadded (about)
• kicked around
• dawdled
• straggled
• tramped
• moped
• hoboed
• milled (about or around)
• vagabonded

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of drifted

After the young widow stepped back behind the black curtains, where scoops of mint chocolate chip in disposable bamboo bowls drifted through a room of donors and White House staffers, the evening moved from celebration to wake. — Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 29 Sep. 2026

Now Alicia, a New York dame, drifted over to the orange jackets. — Anand Giridharadas, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026

Unfortunately, over the decades, the program has drifted wildly off course. — Christina Smith, Baltimore Sun, 24 Sep. 2026

But six months later, almost no one was using it, and the model’s outputs had drifted away from the business it was built to serve. — Hiromi Nakatani, Forbes.com, 24 Sep. 2026

But the stock's drifted lower since its post-earnings surge this summer. — Jeff Marks, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2026

Our little aluminum dinghy drifted too close to a herd of hippos, and the dominant male glowered at us before disappearing menacingly below the surface. — Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026

After college, the two Florida natives drifted apart and didn’t see each other for five years. — Shelby Wax, Vogue, 21 Sep. 2026

The Jeep, traveling south on I-35, struck the Equinox and drifted across the road, colliding with Van Buskirk. — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 19 Sep. 2026