drifter

noun

drift·​er ˈdrif-tər How to pronounce drifter (audio)
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
His signature commanding, grainy voice melds masterfully with the guitar, tambourine and steady percussion underpinning the song’s story of a drifter making his home on the highways and in every town. Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 3 Feb. 2025 One day, a drifter named Rıza (Erkan Kolçak Köstendil) arrives at the property, with no past and no home, and negotiates a job tending to the land. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 29 Jan. 2025 Mulroney plays Keith, a solitary drifter spending his final days scavenging and in search of human connection. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 16 Jan. 2025 Not a lot of information is available about Keanu Reeves’s homes—likely because for a long time, the actor was a bit of a drifter. Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 15 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for drifter 

Word History

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of drifter was in 1897

Dictionary Entries Near drifter

Cite this Entry

“Drifter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drifter. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

drifter

noun
drift·​er ˈdrif-tər How to pronounce drifter (audio)
: one that drifts
especially : a person who travels about without purpose

More from Merriam-Webster on drifter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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