: one that drifts
especially
: one that travels or moves about aimlessly
Synonyms
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
The drifter passed through prisons in Florida and New Mexico, per his online criminal information, but authorities did not even know the serial killer’s name.
—
Emily Palmer, Peoplemag, 12 May 2024
Now a drifter scrounging by on an underground fight circuit, Dalton is offered a job by Frankie (Williams) to work as a bouncer at her bar in the Florida Keys.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for drifter 
Emily Palmer, Peoplemag, 12 May 2024
Now a drifter scrounging by on an underground fight circuit, Dalton is offered a job by Frankie (Williams) to work as a bouncer at her bar in the Florida Keys.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for drifter
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'drifter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near drifter
Cite this Entry
“Drifter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drifter. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
drifter
noun
drift·er
ˈdrif-tər 
: one that drifts
especially
: a person who travels about without purpose
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