Synonyms for drift

Synonyms for (noun) drift

Synonyms: drift, gallery, heading

Definition: a horizontal (or nearly horizontal) passageway in a mine

Usage: they dug a drift parallel with the vein

Similar words: passageway

Definition: a passage between rooms or between buildings


Synonyms: purport, drift

Definition: the pervading meaning or tenor

Usage: caught the general drift of the conversation

Similar words: strain, tenor

Definition: the general meaning or substance of an utterance

Usage: although I disagreed with him I could follow the tenor of his argument


Synonyms: trend, movement, drift

Definition: a general tendency to change (as of opinion)

Usage: not openly liberal but that is the trend of the book; a broad movement of the electorate to the right

Similar words: inclination, disposition, tendency

Definition: an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others

Usage: he had an inclination to give up too easily; a tendency to be too strict


Synonyms: drift

Definition: a large mass of material that is heaped up by the wind or by water currents

Similar words: mass

Definition: a body of matter without definite shape

Usage: a huge ice mass


Synonyms: drift, impetus, impulsion

Definition: a force that moves something along

Similar words: force

Definition: (physics) the influence that produces a change in a physical quantity

Usage: force equals mass times acceleration


Synonyms: drift

Definition: the gradual departure from an intended course due to external influences (as a ship or plane)

Similar words: natural action, natural process, action, activity

Definition: a process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings)

Usage: the action of natural forces; volcanic activity


Synonyms: drift

Definition: a process of linguistic change over a period of time

Similar words: linguistic process

Definition: a process involved in human language


Synonyms for (verb) drift

Synonyms: drift

Definition: be piled up in banks or heaps by the force of wind or a current

Usage: snow drifting several feet high; sand drifting like snow

Similar words: pile up, accumulate, amass, cumulate, conglomerate, gather

Definition: collect or gather

Usage: Journals are accumulating in my office; The work keeps piling up


Synonyms: drift

Definition: be subject to fluctuation

Usage: The stock market drifted upward

Similar words: change

Definition: undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature

Usage: She changed completely as she grew older; The weather changed last night


Synonyms: drift

Definition: drive slowly and far afield for grazing

Usage: drift the cattle herds westwards

Similar words: graze, pasture, crop

Definition: let feed in a field or pasture or meadow


Synonyms: drift

Definition: cause to be carried by a current

Usage: drift the boats downstream

Similar words: float

Definition: set afloat

Usage: He floated the logs down the river; The boy floated his toy boat on the pond


Synonyms: tramp, swan, stray, drift, cast, roam, ramble, range, vagabond, wander, roll, rove

Definition: move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment

Usage: The gypsies roamed the woods; roving vagabonds; the wandering Jew; The cattle roam across the prairie; the laborers drift from one town to the next; They rolled from town to town

Similar words: go, locomote, travel, move

Definition: change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

Usage: How fast does your new car go?; We travelled from Rome to Naples by bus; The policemen went from door to door looking for the suspect; The soldiers moved towards the city in an attempt to take it before night fell; news travelled fast


Synonyms: drift, float, blow, be adrift

Definition: be in motion due to some air or water current

Usage: The leaves were blowing in the wind; the boat drifted on the lake; The sailboat was adrift on the open sea; the shipwrecked boat drifted away from the shore

Similar words: go, locomote, travel, move

Definition: change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

Usage: How fast does your new car go?; We travelled from Rome to Naples by bus; The policemen went from door to door looking for the suspect; The soldiers moved towards the city in an attempt to take it before night fell; news travelled fast


Synonyms: drift

Definition: move in an unhurried fashion

Usage: The unknown young man drifted among the invited guests

Similar words: circulate

Definition: move around freely

Usage: She circulates among royalty


Synonyms: stray, drift, err

Definition: wander from a direct course or at random

Usage: The child strayed from the path and her parents lost sight of her; don't drift from the set course

Similar words: go, locomote, travel, move

Definition: change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

Usage: How fast does your new car go?; We travelled from Rome to Naples by bus; The policemen went from door to door looking for the suspect; The soldiers moved towards the city in an attempt to take it before night fell; news travelled fast


Synonyms: drift, freewheel

Definition: live unhurriedly, irresponsibly, or freely

Usage: My son drifted around for years in California before going to law school

Similar words: subsist, survive, live, exist

Definition: support oneself

Usage: he could barely exist on such a low wage; Can you live on $2000 a month in New York City?; Many people in the world have to subsist on $1 a day


Synonyms: drift

Definition: vary or move from a fixed point or course

Usage: stock prices are drifting higher

Similar words: vary

Definition: be subject to change in accordance with a variable

Usage: Prices vary; His moods vary depending on the weather


Visual thesaurus for drift