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Glite Dictionary
🌬️ To move slowly 🎈 To carry along 💡 Main idea 📉 To change slowly ❄️ A pile 🔄 A slow change
to drift

to drift

30 3.8
To change slowly over time without clear control
  • verb
  • /drɪft/
translation icon : variar gradualmente
  • The committee, along with much of American society, had drifted leftward in three years.
  • drift down
  • drift downward
  • tend to drift

Most stocks tend to drift upwards over time.

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Examples

  • But instead of becoming more aware of this challenge, the US has been drifting away from the region.

    Academic text (2015)

  • Over the years, the cost of living has drifted upward, making it harder for families to afford basic necessities.

  • Most stocks tend to drift upwards over time.

    Patrick Boyle

  • Well, after our therapy session I felt like we were drifting apart.

    A Bad Moms Christmas (2017)

  • At the same time, more and more people are drifting away from organized religion.

    Academic text (2011)

  • As a result, the yen failed to correct and instead tended to drift higher.

    Academic text (2003)

  • We all of us drifted through the day in a haze.

  • She drifted from job to job, and man to man.

    Fedora (1978)

  • Startups who don't get this message drift from one solution to another, never getting traction that they need.

  • I can't believe how far we've drifted.

    Open Water (2004)

Antonyms

to stabilize
  • US
75 4.3

To become steady and stop changing

Phrasal Verbs

to drift off
23 3.8

To slowly fall asleep without meaning to

to drift apart
17 3.7

To become less close to each other over time

to drift away
15 4.5

To slowly lose contact and closeness with someone

to get the drift
  • Informal
4 4.5

To understand the main idea without knowing every detail

Compounds

continental drift
  • Specialized
4 4.8

The slow movement of Earth's continents over a very long time

drift net
  • Specialized
3 5.1

A large fishing net that floats and moves with the water to catch fish

drift ice
  • UK
6.0

Large pieces of ice that float on the open sea

How Much

to surge
41 3.7
to climb
146 2.2
to drift
30 3.8
to waver
12 4.8
to hold
840 1.4

Surface Forms

drift infinitive
drifted past
drifted past participle
drifting present participle
drifts third person singular

Etymology

Drift comes from an old Norse word meaning 'to drive', and this shows why we use drift for slow, uncontrolled moves like prices changing bit by bit as small forces 'drive' them up or down.