drift

noun
UK: /drɪft/
US: /drɪft/

  1. A slow, steady movement from one place to another.

    1. The boat began to drift away from the shore quickly.
    2. After the engine died, the ship started to drift helplessly in the strong winds.

  2. A general tendency or change in opinion, attitude, or situation.

    1. There's a drift towards healthier eating habits lately.
    2. The slow drift of political opinion is concerning many experienced analysts.

  3. A pile of something, such as snow or sand, that has been blown together by the wind.

    1. The snow drift blocked the driveway completely today.
    2. Strong winds created a massive sand drift that covered half of the road near the beach.

Synonyms

shift tendency flow pile bank float wander stray
drift intransitive-verb

  1. To move slowly, especially because of currents of air or water.

    1. The leaves drift in the wind all day.
    2. We watched the small boat drift slowly down the river and away.

  2. To be carried along by a current of air or water.

    1. The surfer allowed himself to drift out to sea far away.
    2. After the storm, debris began to drift towards the coastline slowly.

  3. To change slowly from one situation or opinion to another.

    1. Many people drift away from their childhood dreams later.
    2. Over the years, she began to drift towards a more conservative point of view.
drift transitive-verb

  1. To cause to move slowly by wind or water.

    1. The sailor drifted the boat closer to the shore.
    2. The fisherman skillfully drifted his bait along the bottom of the river easily.
drift adjective

  1. The difference between the intended course of a ship or aircraft and the course actually made.

    1. The pilot corrected for the drift caused by the strong crosswinds.
    2. Experienced navigators understand the importance of calculating wind drift accurately.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "drift" in English means: A slow, steady movement from one place to another., A general tendency or change in opinion, attitude, or situation., A pile of something, such as snow or sand, that has been blown together by the wind..

The phonetic transcription of "drift" is /drɪft/ in British English and /drɪft/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "drift": shift, tendency, flow, pile, bank, float, wander, stray.

Example usage of "drift": "The boat began to drift away from the shore quickly.". More examples on the page.