DRIFT: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for DRIFT?

Need another word that means the same as “drift”? Find 73 synonyms and 30 related words for “drift” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Drift” are: freewheel, be adrift, blow, float, cast, ramble, range, roam, roll, rove, stray, swan, tramp, vagabond, wander, err, be carried, be carried along, be carried away, be borne, be wafted, digress, depart, diverge, veer, swerve, deviate, get sidetracked, pile up, bank up, heap up, accumulate, gather, form drifts, form heaps, amass, purport, impetus, impulsion, movement, trend, gallery, heading, shift, flow, transfer, transferral, relocation, gravitation, deviation, digression, veering, straying, gist, essence, core, meaning, sense, thesis, substance, significance, signification, pile, heap, bank, mound, mass, accumulation, dune, ridge, crossing place, crossing, causeway

Drift as a Noun

Definitions of "Drift" as a noun

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “drift” as a noun can have the following definitions:

  • A horizontal (or nearly horizontal) passageway in a mine.
  • A horizontal or inclined passage following a mineral vein or coal seam.
  • A ford.
  • A force that moves something along.
  • The pervading meaning or tenor.
  • A controlled skid, used in taking bends at high speeds.
  • A general tendency to change (as of opinion.
  • A process of linguistic change over a period of time.
  • The general intention or meaning of an argument or someone's remarks.
  • Glacial and fluvioglacial deposits left by retreating ice sheets.
  • An act of herding cattle within a forest to a particular place on an appointed day in order to determine ownership or to levy fines.
  • A steady movement or development from one thing towards another that is perceived as unwelcome.
  • A large mass of snow, leaves, or other material piled up or carried along by the wind.
  • An act of driving cattle or sheep.
  • A large mass of material that is heaped up by the wind or by water currents.
  • A large spread of flowering plants growing together.
  • The deviation of a vessel, aircraft, or projectile from its intended or expected course as the result of currents or winds.
  • A continuous slow movement from one place to another.
  • A state of inaction or indecision.
  • The gradual departure from an intended course due to external influences (as a ship or plane.

Synonyms of "Drift" as a noun (37 Words)

accumulationProfits that are not paid out as dividends but are added to the capital base of the corporation.
The accumulation of wealth.
bankAn elevation in the seabed or a riverbed a mudbank or sandbank.
He cashed a check at the bank.
causewayA raised road or track across low or wet ground.
An island reached at low tide by a causeway.
coreAn organization founded by James Leonard Farmer in 1942 to work for racial equality.
The plan has the interests of children at its core.
crossingThe action of crossing something.
The crossing of the Pennines.
crossing placeA voyage across a body of water (usually across the Atlantic Ocean.
deviationThe error of a compass due to local magnetic disturbances.
Deviation from a norm.
digressionA message that departs from the main subject.
A digression into irrelevant details.
duneA ridge of sand created by the wind; found in deserts or near lakes and oceans.
A sand dune.
essenceAn extract or concentrate obtained from a plant or other matter and used for flavouring or scent.
Vanilla essence.
flowThe act of flowing or streaming continuous progression.
A constant flow of people.
galleryA group of spectators, especially those at a golf tournament.
Shooting gallery.
gistThe real point of an action.
It was hard to get the gist of Pedro s talk.
gravitationThe force responsible for gravitation gravity.
Irrigation by gravitation rather than by pumps.
headingA direction or bearing.
Chapter headings.
heapA collection of objects laid on top of each other.
Her clothes lay in a heap on the floor.
impetusA force that moves something along.
The ending of the Cold War gave new impetus to idealism.
impulsionA strong urge to do something.
The impulsion of the singers to govern the pace.
massAn ill-structured collection of similar things (objects or people.
We get masses of homework.
meaningThe idea that is intended.
What is the meaning of this sentence.
moundA small hill.
They have a southpaw on the mound.
movementA campaign undertaken by a political social or artistic movement.
The movement to end slavery.
pileA large amount of something.
For uniform color and texture tailors cut velvet with the pile running the same direction.
purportThe purpose or intention of something.
I do not understand the purport of your remarks.
relocationThe act of changing your residence or place of business.
The planned relocation of national headquarters to Warwickshire.
ridgeAn elongated region of high barometric pressure.
The roof was unusual due to the relative heights of the eaves and the ridge.
senseRelating to or denoting a coding sequence of nucleotides complementary to an antisense sequence.
I can t see the sense in leaving all the work to you.
shiftThe group of people who work during a particular shift.
A shift in public opinion.
significanceThe extent to which a result deviates from that expected to arise simply from random variation or errors in sampling.
Do not underestimate the significance of nuclear power.
significationThe representation or conveying of meaning.
Many words acquired a signification coloured by legal construction.
strayingAn animal that has strayed (especially a domestic animal.
substanceThe subject matter of a text, speech, or work of art, especially as contrasted with the form or style in which it is presented.
A steel tube coated with a waxy substance.
thesisA statement or theory that is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved.
A doctoral thesis.
transferThe act of transfering something from one form to another.
Data transfer between different manufacturers drives.
transferralThe action of transferring someone or something.
The transferral of ownership in the form of a takeover.
trendGeneral line of orientation.
For more than 20 days in a row most of the top Twitter trends were Olympics related.
veeringThe act of turning aside suddenly.

Usage Examples of "Drift" as a noun

  • After so much drift, any expression of enthusiasm is welcome.
  • The drift towards a more repressive style of policing.
  • Four sheep were dug out of the drift.
  • The pilot had not noticed any appreciable drift.
  • Caught the general drift of the conversation.
  • He didn't understand much Greek, but he got her drift.
  • They dug a drift parallel with the vein.
  • The drift led to another smaller ore chamber.
  • A drift of daffodils.
  • There was a drift to the towns.
  • Maybe I'm too close to the forest to see the trees, if you catch my drift.

Drift as a Verb

Definitions of "Drift" as a verb

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “drift” as a verb can have the following definitions:

  • Move in an unhurried fashion.
  • Cause to be carried by a current.
  • (especially of snow or leaves) be blown into heaps by the wind.
  • Walk slowly, aimlessly, or casually.
  • Drive slowly and far afield for grazing.
  • Be in motion due to some air or water current.
  • Move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment.
  • Vary or move from a fixed point or course.
  • Be subject to fluctuation.
  • (of a person or their attention) digress or stray to another subject.
  • Wander from a direct course or at random.
  • Be piled up in banks or heaps by the force of wind or a current.
  • Be carried slowly by a current of air or water.
  • Live unhurriedly, irresponsibly, or freely.
  • Move passively, aimlessly, or involuntarily into a certain situation or condition.

Synonyms of "Drift" as a verb (36 Words)

accumulateGather; build up.
Investigators have yet to accumulate enough evidence.
amassGather together in a crowd or group.
He amassed a fortune estimated at close to a million pounds.
bank upDo business with a bank or keep an account at a bank.
be adriftWork in a specific place, with a specific subject, or in a specific function.
be borneWork in a specific place, with a specific subject, or in a specific function.
be carriedSpend or use time.
be carried alongBe identical or equivalent to.
be carried awayBe identical to; be someone or something.
be waftedForm or compose.
blowOf a whale eject air and vapour through the blowhole.
The blast had blown the windows out of the van.
castForm by pouring e g wax or hot metal into a cast or mold.
The moon cast a pale light over the cottages.
departWander from a direct or straight course.
The train departs at noon.
deviateCause to turn away from a previous or expected course.
You must not deviate from the agreed route.
digressLose clarity or turn aside especially from the main subject of attention or course of argument in writing, thinking, or speaking.
I have digressed a little from my original plan.
divergeHave no limits as a mathematical series.
Suddenly he diverged from his text.
errBe mistaken or incorrect; make a mistake.
He has erred and strayed as many of us have.
floatBe afloat either on or below a liquid surface and not sink to the bottom.
Float data.
form driftsCreate (as an entity.
form heapsCreate (as an entity.
freewheelCoast in a vehicle using the freewheel.
She was convinced that she saved a lot of petrol money by turning the engine off and freewheeling down the hill.
gatherCollect or gather.
The car gathers speed.
get sidetrackedSuffer from the receipt of.
heap upFill to overflow.
pile upPlace or lay as if in a pile.
rambleContinue talking or writing in a desultory manner.
This novel rambles on and jogs.
rangePlace or arrange in a row or rows or in a specified manner.
Tribes who ranged the windswept lands of the steppe.
roamMove about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment.
He let his eyes roam her face.
rollFlatten or spread with a roller.
Pat rolled the trolley to and fro.
rove(of a person’s eyes) look in changing directions in order to see something thoroughly.
The policeman s eyes roved around the pub.
strayLose clarity or turn aside especially from the main subject of attention or course of argument in writing, thinking, or speaking.
Dog owners are urged not to allow their dogs to stray.
swanMove about or go somewhere in a casual, irresponsible, or ostentatious way.
Airplanes were swanning over the mountains.
swerveChange or cause to change direction abruptly.
A lorry swerved across her path.
vagabondWander about as or like a vagabond.
He went vagabonding about the world.
veer(of the wind) change direction clockwise around the points of the compass.
The wind veered.
wanderTo move or cause to move in a sinuous, spiral, or circular course.
Her mind wanders.

Usage Examples of "Drift" as a verb

  • Fallen leaves were starting to drift in the gutters.
  • Stock prices are drifting higher.
  • Excited voices drifted down the hall.
  • People began to drift away.
  • The cabin cruiser started to drift downstream.
  • Drift the boats downstream.
  • The laborers drift from one town to the next.
  • I've just drifted into things because they were offered to me and they seemed like fun.
  • The unknown young man drifted among the invited guests.
  • I noticed my audience's attention drifting.
  • Snow drifting several feet high.
  • The stock market drifted upward.
  • My son drifted around for years in California before going to law school.
  • He was drifting in and out of consciousness.
  • The shipwrecked boat drifted away from the shore.
  • Drift the cattle herds westwards.
  • Sand drifting like snow.
  • The sailboat was adrift on the open sea.
  • Don't drift from the set course.
  • The boat drifted on the lake.

Associations of "Drift" (30 Words)

adriftFloating freely; not anchored.
The film industry was adrift in a sea of debt.
aimlesslyWithout purpose or direction.
We wandered aimlessly round Venice.
continentalA member of the Continental Army.
Continental waters.
digressLeave the main subject temporarily in speech or writing.
She always digresses when telling a story.
floatAllow a currency to float.
The dancer floated across the stage.
floatingInclined to move or be moved about.
A floating platform.
flotsamPeople or things that have been rejected or discarded as worthless.
The room was cleared of boxes and other flotsam.
freewheelCoast in a vehicle using the freewheel.
I m not the sort of person who would freewheel his way to the end of a contract.
gadA sharp prod fixed to a rider’s heel and used to urge a horse onward.
He had heard that I was gadding about with an airline stewardess.
gallivantWander aimlessly in search of pleasure.
She quit her job to go gallivanting around the globe.
migrationMovement from one part of something to another.
This butterfly s annual migration across North America.
nomadicLiving the life of a nomad; wandering.
Nomadic herdsmen.
peripatetic(of a teacher) working in more than one school or college.
Peripatetic country preachers.
plodA slow, heavy walk.
Mules plodded in a circle around a grindstone.
rambleA walk taken for pleasure in the countryside.
Roses climbed rambled hung over walls.
rambling(of writing or speech) lengthy and confused or inconsequential.
A rambling club.
roamAn aimless walk.
He let his mind roam as he walked.
rove(of a person’s eyes) look in changing directions in order to see something thoroughly.
The policeman s eyes roved around the pub.
rovingMigratory.
He trained as a roving reporter.
southwardTowards the south.
The village stretches southwards across the plain.
strayAn animal that has strayed especially a domestic animal.
A few stray crumbs.
trudgeA difficult or laborious walk.
He began the long trudge back to Stokenchurch Street.
undirectedLacking direction; without a particular aim, purpose, or target.
She was full of ineffectual undirected anger.
vagabondWander about as or like a vagabond.
He went vagabonding about the world.
vagrantRelating to or living the life of a vagrant.
The vagrant heart of my mother.
wanderAn act or instance of wandering.
She d go on wanders like that in her nightgown.
wandererA person who travels aimlessly.
He is a longtime seaman a rootless wanderer.
wanderingHaving no fixed course.
His life followed a wandering course.

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