Meaning & use
drift
To move slowly and without control, carried along by a current of water, air, or circumstance.
See it in a sentence
The small boat drifted away from the shore while its owner napped in the sun.
Their conversation drifted from work to childhood memories without anyone noticing.
A note on using this word
As a noun, 'the drift' of an argument or remark means its general meaning or gist, as in 'I get your drift'.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Another way to use it
2. noun
The general meaning or intention of what someone says, even if not stated directly.
He never finished the sentence, but she caught his drift immediately.
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