Synonyms for drift

Noun

1. drift, impetus, impulsion, force

usage: a force that moves something along

2. drift, natural process, natural action, action, activity

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

3. drift, linguistic process

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

4. drift, substance, matter

usage: something that is heaped up by the wind or by water currents

5. drift, trend, movement, inclination, disposition, tendency

usage: a general tendency to change (as of opinion); "not openly liberal but that is the trend of the book"; "a broad movement of the electorate to the right"

6. drift, purport, tenor, strain

usage: general meaning or tenor; "caught the drift of the conversation"

7. drift, heading, gallery, passageway

usage: a horizontal (or nearly horizontal) passageway in a mine; "they dug a drift parallel with the vein"

Verb

1. float, drift, be adrift, blow, travel, go, move, locomote

usage: be in motion due to some air or water current; "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"

2. stray, err, drift, travel, go, move, locomote

usage: wander from a direct course or at random; "The child strayed from the path and her parents lost sight of her"; "don't drift from the set course"

3. roll, wander, swan, stray, tramp, roam, cast, ramble, rove, range, drift, vagabond, travel, go, move, locomote

usage: move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment; "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"

4. drift, vary

usage: vary or move from a fixed point or course; "stock prices are drifting higher"

5. freewheel, drift, exist, survive, live, subsist

usage: live unhurriedly, irresponsibly, or freely; "My son drifted around for years in California before going to law school"

6. drift, circulate

usage: move in an unhurried fashion; "The unknown young man drifted among the invited guests"

7. drift, float

usage: cause to be carried by a current; "drift the boats downstream"

8. drift, crop, graze, pasture

usage: drive slowly and far afield for grazing; "drift the cattle herds westwards"

9. drift, change

usage: be subject to fluctuation; "The stock market drifted upward"

10. drift, accumulate, cumulate, conglomerate, pile up, gather, amass

usage: be piled up in banks or heaps by the force of wind or a current; "snow drifting several feet high"; "sand drifting like snow"