: one that drifts
especially
: one that travels or moves about aimlessly
Examples of drifter in a Sentence
He was a drifter who hitchhiked from state to state.
the drifter just packed up and moved on to the next dead-end job
Recent Examples on the Web
With law enforcement on their tail, Thelma and Louise contend with fascinating characters (including a thoroughly rakish drifter played by Brad Pitt), misogynistic biases, and their own impending fates.
—
Sophie Van Bastelaer, EW.com, 7 July 2025
Chicago detectives soon zeroed in on Bennie Bedwell, an out-of-state drifter who was spotted with the girls by witnesses, according to local WGN.
—Sean Neumann, People.com, 6 Apr. 2025
In fact, one of her biggest food joys in TGM is to eat as a solo drifter.
—Klara Feenstra
june 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025
The title is a reference to Samuel Beckett’s classic play about a pair of drifters stuck waiting for a visitor who never shows, while his blend of fact and fiction takes a page from Gonzo classics like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
—Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for drifter
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Sophie Van Bastelaer, EW.com, 7 July 2025
Chicago detectives soon zeroed in on Bennie Bedwell, an out-of-state drifter who was spotted with the girls by witnesses, according to local WGN.
—Sean Neumann, People.com, 6 Apr. 2025
In fact, one of her biggest food joys in TGM is to eat as a solo drifter.
—Klara Feenstra
june 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025
The title is a reference to Samuel Beckett’s classic play about a pair of drifters stuck waiting for a visitor who never shows, while his blend of fact and fiction takes a page from Gonzo classics like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
—Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for drifter
Cite this Entry
“Drifter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drifter. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
drifter
noun
drift·er
ˈdrif-tər 
: one that drifts
especially
: a person who travels about without purpose
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