: 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
Meanwhile, Dickinson, Babygirl actor and a relative newcomer to A-list stardom, will debut his feature film Urchin, about a drifter (Frank Dillane) on the streets of London.
—
Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
Based on Lee Child’s Jack Reacher novel series, the show stars Ritchson as the infamous ex-military police officer and drifter who uses his combat skills (and intimidating stature) to take down dangerous criminals.
—Emily Blackwood, People.com, 27 Mar. 2025
In both the series and the books, Jack Reacher is a drifter who moves from town to town, so Ritchson's hero is the show's most consistent presence.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 28 Mar. 2025
In Kelly Reichardt’s quietly shattering drama, Michelle Williams plays a drifter stranded in Oregon who’s separated from her beloved dog, Lucy, after she’s arrested for shoplifting food.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 9 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for drifter
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Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2025
Based on Lee Child’s Jack Reacher novel series, the show stars Ritchson as the infamous ex-military police officer and drifter who uses his combat skills (and intimidating stature) to take down dangerous criminals.
—Emily Blackwood, People.com, 27 Mar. 2025
In both the series and the books, Jack Reacher is a drifter who moves from town to town, so Ritchson's hero is the show's most consistent presence.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 28 Mar. 2025
In Kelly Reichardt’s quietly shattering drama, Michelle Williams plays a drifter stranded in Oregon who’s separated from her beloved dog, Lucy, after she’s arrested for shoplifting food.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 9 Mar. 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 15 Apr. 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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