as in gypsy
a person who roams about without a fixed route or destination
the drifter just packed up and moved on to the next dead-end job
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of drifter
Police eventually identified this violent criminal as Richard Ramirez, a drifter from El Paso, Texas, with a history of drug abuse and auto theft.
—
Emily Blackwood, People.com, 10 Dec. 2024
The former is available for streaming on Tubi. 'Cursed'
This indie horror movie, about an American drifter whose life takes a supernatural turn in a rural village in Romania, was filmed in the West Bend area.
—Chris Foran, Journal Sentinel, 26 Dec. 2024
Though the bones tell the tale of a drifter's death between 2006 to 2008, there are not any more details about when or where Hietamaki was before that.
—Karen Bartunek, The Arizona Republic, 7 Nov. 2024
Cindy Lee: Diamond Jubilee The 32-track magnum opus from the glamorous alter-ego of Canadian musician Patrick Flegel hit the scene like some old movie where a mysterious drifter shows up with their guitar to breathe new life into a sleepy town.
—Pitchfork, 3 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for drifter 
Emily Blackwood, People.com, 10 Dec. 2024
The former is available for streaming on Tubi. 'Cursed'
This indie horror movie, about an American drifter whose life takes a supernatural turn in a rural village in Romania, was filmed in the West Bend area.
—Chris Foran, Journal Sentinel, 26 Dec. 2024
Though the bones tell the tale of a drifter's death between 2006 to 2008, there are not any more details about when or where Hietamaki was before that.
—Karen Bartunek, The Arizona Republic, 7 Nov. 2024
Cindy Lee: Diamond Jubilee The 32-track magnum opus from the glamorous alter-ego of Canadian musician Patrick Flegel hit the scene like some old movie where a mysterious drifter shows up with their guitar to breathe new life into a sleepy town.
—Pitchfork, 3 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for drifter
Thesaurus Entries Near drifter
Cite this Entry
“Drifter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drifter. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share